China’s gold imports have surged over 700 percent since 2010 and the country remained the world's biggest consumer of the precious metal last year, according to the latest data from Hong Kong. In 2015 the country imported almost 1,000 tons of gold, compared to about 100 tons five years ago. China was followed by India which imported 849 tons of gold in 2015.Last year China’s demand for gold coins surged 25 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier. The rush followed Beijing’s devaluation of the yuan as consumers sought to protect their wealth. China’s central bank has also accelerated gold purchases to diversify the country's reserves away from the US dollar. However, Beijing doesn’t explain the jump in gold demand, claiming the country’s gold reserves have grown only a little in recent years.