China expects to import $900 million worth of diamonds this year -- and double that within three to five years -- as it starts cutting and polishing more rough stones to dazzle Chinese customers, a Chinese official said Wednesday.

Yu Huimin, secretary general of China's Diamond Administration told a diamond conference in Antwerp that the country was already on track for diamond imports to jump 60 percent from last year.

Imports of polished stones have already surged 180 percent to $200 million in the first half of 2007 compared with the previous year as demand from Chinese luxury customers surges.

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