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China has instructed its largest oil refiners to temporarily suspend exports of diesel and gasoline, according to a report by Bloomberg News on Thursday, as escalating conflict in the Middle East raises fears of disruptions to global energy supplies.
The decision comes as Asian economies grow increasingly concerned about the security of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, a key passage for global oil transport that has reportedly faced blockages because of the ongoing crisis.
China remains a net importer of crude oil and relies heavily on Middle Eastern supplies. Data from Kpler indicates that about 57 percent of the country’s seaborne crude imports in 2025 originated from the region.
According to Bloomberg, officials from the National Development and Reform Commission recently met with refinery representatives and instructed them verbally to suspend shipments of refined petroleum products with immediate effect.
“The refiners were asked to stop signing new contracts and to negotiate the cancellation of already-agreed shipments,” the report said.
Major state-backed companies including PetroChina, Sinopec, CNOOC, Sinochem Group, as well as private firm Zhejiang Petrochemical are among the refiners that typically receive government export quotas for fuel shipments.
