AsianFin -- Chinese refiners are ramping up imports of Canadian crude to record levels, slashing purchases of U.S. oil by nearly 90% as trade tensions between Washington and Beijing intensify.

A recently expanded pipeline in Western Canada has opened up greater access to Alberta’s vast oilsands reserves for Asian buyers. The line, which connects to a shipping terminal near Vancouver, has become a key route for crude bound for China and other East Asian markets.

Chinese imports from the terminal surged to a record 7.3 million barrels in March and are on track to surpass that level in April, according to data from Vortexa Ltd., which monitors global oil and gas shipments. In contrast, Chinese imports of U.S. oil have plummeted to just 3 million barrels per month, down from a peak of 29 million last June.