BEIJING, Jan 13 Reuters China39;s trade with Russia hit a record 1.28 trillion yuan 190 billion last year, the government said on Friday, even as Russia39;s imports from the European Union fell on sanctions related to Moscow39;s invasion of Ukraine.

China39;s 2022 exports to and imports from Russia accounted for 3 of China39;s total trade, Lyu Daliang, spokesperson of the General Administration of Customs, told a news briefing.

Shipments of Chinese goods to Russia have grown for six months in a row.

Russia more than doubled its rail exports of liquefied petroleum gas to China in 2022 as part of the Kremlin39;s drive to diversify its energy export sales, a Reuters analysis based on data from industry sources showed on Thursday.

China39;s imports of Russian natural gas through the Power of Siberia pipeline are set to have risen by at least 50 in 2022, according to Russia39;s top producer, Gazprom. China39;s Russian crude oil imports expanded 10 on year in the first 11 months at nearly 80 million tonnes.

China39;s trade with Russia slowed sharply in dollar terms in December, with exports up 8.3 from the same month last year, down from November39;s 17.9 rise, according to Reuters calculations based on Friday39;s Chinese customs data.

Imports from Russia rose 8.3, slowing from a 28.5 gain in November, as a surge in COVID19 infections following China39;s abrupt end to severe restrictions weighed on domestic demand.

But with the dismantling of Beijing39;s zeroCOVID…