Sinopec Corp will nearly triple its imports of Iranian crude next year, increasing Beijing's reliance on the OPEC producer that faces Western political pressure over its nuclear program. Its state-owned parent Sinopec Group has agreed to buy 160,000 barrels per day (bpd) from Iran next year, up from this year's 60,000 bpd, two sources familiar with the supply negotiations told Reuters yesterday.. Including a separate pact, agreed earlier between China's state-run Zhuhai Zhenrong Corp and National Iranian Oil Company, China has contracted to buy 400,000 bpd of Iranian crude for next year, roughly 6 percent of China's total crude demand. The supply deal comes days after the state-run Chinese oil giant finalized a $2 billion pact to develop Iran's huge Yadavaran oilfield, after nearly three years of negotiations, part of Beijing's plan to help ensure a stable, secure supply of oil for the world's second-largest consumer. Analysts saw the deal as a further sign of a long-term strategic relationship between China and Iran. Beijing is scrambling to fuel the world's fastest growing major economy and Tehran is relying on oil revenue to establish itself as a dominant Middle Eastern power."There is a growing rivalry among the big powers for access to major sources of crude oil. For so long America had a monopoly on much of the crude oil exports from the Persian Gulf region and it is now facing increasing rivalry," said Mehdi Varzi of London-based consultancy Varzi Energy