China faces oil supply risk if Israel-Iran conflict escalates

China could face major oil supply disruptions if war between Israel and Iran escalates further, as Beijing remains heavily reliant on crude oil imports from the Middle East, much of which transits through the vulnerable Strait of Hormuz. China is the world’s largest oil importer. In 2024, it produced 4.3 million barrels of crude oil per day but imported 11.1 million barrels, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Nearly 45% of China’s total oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow maritime chokepoint connecting the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea, which Iran has repeatedly threatened to close in response to Israeli military strikes.

According to commodity intelligence firm Kpler, China accounts for 90% of Iran’s oil exports. Official Chinese customs data lists top suppliers as Russia (2.1 million barrels per day), Saudi Arabia (1.5 million), and Malaysia (1.4 million), but Iranian oil is absent from the reports due to US-led sanctions.

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