China Diversifies Oil Supplies Amid Middle East Disruptions
The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted traditional oil routes and infrastructure, prompting Chinese refiners to pivot toward onshore pipelines and short-haul Russian Far East cargoes that offer greater delivery certainty.
According to customs data, China's crude oil imports from Russia surged 41% year-on-year in August 2026, reaching 11.2 million metric tons (approximately 2.64 million barrels per day). This represents a significant 23% month-on-month increase from July.
The sudden shift comes as an escalating conflict in the Middle East severely disrupts traditional global oil routes and infrastructure, prompting Chinese refiners to seek alternative sources of crude oil. Imports from Saudi Arabia plummeted by 47% year-on-year and 41% from July, falling to 3.2 million tons (740,000 bpd). This is a massive contraction for the kingdom, which previously averaged much higher volumes to China.