Primary Taiwanese news agency Central News Agency (CNA) recently reported that, China’s crude oil imports fell to their lowest level in nearly four years in April, affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Data released today by China’s General Administration of Customs shows that China’s crude oil imports in April decreased by 20 percent year-over-year to 38.471 million tons.
As the world’s largest oil importer, China imports about half of its crude oil from the Middle East. With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the number of tankers transporting crude oil and refined petroleum products has decreased significantly, impacting global energy transportation. The official Chinese data did not differentiate between seaborne crude oil and crude oil imported via pipeline. However, the cited data from ship tracking company Kpler showing that China’s seaborne crude oil imports in April totaled 8.03 million barrels per day, also a new low since July 2022.
The turbulent situation in the Middle East has also prompted China to strengthen controls on exports of refined oil products such as gasoline and aviation fuel in order to ensure domestic market supply. Under the influence of these policies, China’s refined oil exports in April fell to 3.119 million tons, a decrease of about one-third compared to March, marking the lowest level in nearly 10 years.
Source: CNA, May 9, 2026
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202605090175.aspx