BEIJING, Dec. 3 --  China's gold imports in the first 10 months jumped almost fivefold from a year earlier to 209 tons, Bloomberg reported on Dec 2, citing Shen Xiangrong, chairman of the Shanghai Gold Exchange.

"The expectation for higher inflation has fueled great interests among investors to hold physical gold, which led to higher imports," shen said. China imported 45 tons for the entire of 2009, he said.