In spite of China’s rise in the ranks of the world’s top oil consumers, Africa exports more oil to the US and Europe than it does to China. In 2007, China bought 12 percent of Africa’s crude oil exports, while the US and Europe bought 32 percent each. One-fourth of Chinese oil imports came from Africa in 2007, versus roughly one-fifth in the case of US and European petroleum imports.58 Many observers however expect that China’s share of imports from Africa will increase further, boosted by its efforts to diversify imports.