China sold 15.3 million tons of coke abroad for US$3.05 billion last year, a growth of 5.8 percent and 52.4 percent, respectively, over 2006, a General Administration of Customs source said on Friday.

The average price of the exports was US$199.60 per ton, up 44. 1 percent.

The source attributed the price rise largely to mounting demand on world markets, increasing production cost and a tax policy shift.

China began to levy a 5 percent export duty on coke in November 2006. It raised the tax rate to 15 percent on June 1. As the world's largest coke producer and exporter, the country has a say in pricing for coke on international markets. Foreign buyers chose to bear price rises based on the 15 percent export duty.

According to the customs source, 59.4 percent of China's coke exports last year went to Japan, the European Union and Brazil.