China's oil imports fall 5.4% as Iranian flows recede from June highs
US President Donald Trump has intensified pressure on Iran’s economy, clamping down on its oil sector, a critical component of the state budget.
China’s crude oil imports fell by 5.4% in July, following a surge in Iranian shipments the previous month, due to “geopolitical and logistical pressures,” including regional conflict and increased US sanctions against Tehran, according to an expert.
In June, China’s crude imports hit their highest level since 2023, at 12.4 million barrels per day (bpd).
What happened: According to official data released Thursday, China imported 47.2 million metric tons of crude oil in July, equivalent to 11.12 million bpd.
Official data from China’s General Administration of Customs omits much of the country's Iranian oil imports because of Western sanctions, but the shipping analytics firm Vortexa reported Tuesday that China’s crude imports from Iran last month averaged around 1.5 million bpd.
