China has reduced oil imports since the start of the Iran war, capping global crude prices.

China has sharply reduced crude oil imports during the Middle East conflict, and analysts say the move may be one of the biggest reasons oil prices have not surged far beyond $100 a barrel despite a m

A massive drop in Chinese crude oil imports has become one of the main reasons the world is not suffering a greater energy crisis from the Middle East war, with crude still below $100/bbl.

By Chen Aizhu and Sam Li SINGAPORE/BEIJING, June 2 (Reuters) - China is expected to tap deeper into its record crude oil inventories as refiners cut imports further while maintaining output curbs to minimize refining losses amid weak fuel demand,

China has been stabilizing global oil markets by drawing down massive inventories instead of aggressively importing crude, but that strategy may soon run out of room.

China relies heavily on crude oil imports from the Middle East but those supplies are mostly cut off due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

China's seaborne imports of crude oil slumped to the lowest in almost 10 years in May as the impact of the Iran war led to a dramatic reshuffling of operations in the world's biggest oil importer.

China, the world’s largest importer of energy, has so far weathered the global energy shock brought on by war in the Gulf well compared with some of its Asian neighbors.

China has delayed 500,000 bpd of refining capacity, including an Aramco-backed plant, as Hormuz disruptions slash crude imports by 44%.