China
net importerThe world's largest oil importer.
Answer
China imports about 11.6 million barrels of crude a day. The largest suppliers are Russia (17%), Saudi Arabia (14%) and Iran (11%).
Data: 2025 annual averages
Key figures
- Crude oil imports, barrels per day
- 11.6 million
- Largest supplier
- Russia · 17%
- Real risk
- Strait of Malacca · 54%
Where does China get its oil from?
| Supplier | share | thousand b/d |
|---|---|---|
| Russia | 17% | 2,025 |
| Saudi Arabia | 14% | 1,622 |
| Iran | 11% | 1,300 |
| Iraq | 11% | 1,298 |
| Brazil | 8% | 948 |
| UAE | 7% | 754 |
| Oman | 6% | 710 |
| Angola | 5% | 598 |
| Kuwait | 3% | 382 |
| Congo | 2% | 181 |
| Qatar | 1% | 146 |
| Kazakhstan | 1% | 78 |
| USA | 0% | 46 |
| other sources (not on the map) | 13% | 1,505 |
UN Comtrade, JODI-Oil · 2025
Which chokepoints does China's oil pass through?
The main maritime chokepoints on the way are Strait of Malacca (54% of imports), Strait of Hormuz (41% of imports) and Cape of Good Hope (15% of imports).
- Strait of Malacca54% of imports · 6,212
- Strait of Hormuz41% of imports · 4,748
- Cape of Good Hope15% of imports · 1,773
Real risk: Strait of Malacca – 54% of imports this way. The world's busiest shipping lane, narrow and shallow – risk of collisions, piracy and blockade in a South China Sea conflict.
UN Comtrade · 2025
How much crude oil does China import?
Imports 11.6 million barrels of crude a day – 6 supertankers a day. Own production (4.3 million) covers 26% of consumption, imports 69%, the rest is refined products and biofuels.
JODI-Oil · 2025
China: how did the 2026 oil crisis affect supplies and prices?
- February 28, 2026Iran closes the Strait of HormuzChina: 3.9 million barrels a day (33% of imports) with no way throughWikipedia: 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- March 11, 2026IEA countries release 400 million barrels from emergency stocksChina: 3.9 million barrels a day (33% of imports) with no way throughIEA, 11 Mar 2026
- September 11, 2026Drones hit Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline – the main route around HormuzChina: 5.5 million barrels a day (47% of imports) with no way throughCNBC, 14 Sept 2026
- September 28, 2026The East-West pipeline runs again, at lower capacityChina: 3.9 million barrels a day (33% of imports) with no way throughwnp.pl, 28 Sept 2026
Effect on supplies: model of oil routes (2025 flows), stranded = no sea route left on that day.
Main port: Ningbo-Zhoushan
Sources
- UN Comtrade – crude oil imports by country of origin (HS 2709), as reported by the importing country · 2025
- JODI-Oil – national crude oil production, imports and exports · 2025
- U.S. EIA – crude oil and petroleum products passing through maritime chokepoints · 2023
Related questions
Download the data
CSV and JSON, CC BY 4.0 – credit “chokepoints.io” with a link. Volumes in thousand barrels per day, 2025 annual averages.
Countries (CSV)Trade routes (CSV)Chokepoints (CSV)Everything (JSON)DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23267750 (Zenodo)