SHANGHAI, Jul 21, 2010 (Dow Jones Commodities News Select via Comtex) -- China's refined copper imports in June declined 44% from a year earlier to 211,957 metric tons, the General Administration of Customs said Wednesday.

Shipments were down 24% from May, when 279,690 tons were imported.

In the January-June period, the world's largest copper consumer imported 1.56 million tons of refined copper, down 13% from a year earlier.