China's crude oil imports surge

China's crude oil imports are ticking back up after months of subdued buying during the US-Israel war on Iran, a recovery that could erode the buffer that helped limit the war's effect on global oil prices. Imports rose 6.2% in August from the previous month to 37.9 million tonnes - the highest in four months, though still over 23% below a year earlier - and have kept climbing in September, reaching 7.84 million barrels a day per trade-intelligence firm Kpler, up from 7.25 million bpd in August.

As it ran

24 September 2026

• China’s sulphur imports dive 65% as prices surge 3.5 times South China Morning Post

19 September 2026

• Oil prices are high but could be much worse. Trump has China's Xi to thank for that AP

18 September 2026

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