Kathmandu. The world is in turmoil. The war has not stopped and the price of crude oil is rising. Last week, the price of Brent crude was expected to reach $ 100 per barrel. But the sudden increase in prices to $110 a barrel was unexpected. This fear has come true.
In fact, the price of Brent crude is currently $ 110 per barrel. China is the largest importer of crude oil. Then there is India. But despite all this, China is completely silent. What could be the cause of this silence?
All countries, big and small, are worried. The price of crude oil has increased by 56 percent in the last month. There are many possible strategies of China behind its silence.
China has large strategic oil reserves{{TAG_OPEN_strong_43 TAG_CLOSE_strong_43}}
China has large reserves of crude oil. Over the past few years, China has been steadily increasing its stockpile. It is estimated that China has enough crude oil reserves to last for several months. So it won’t panic even if there is a sudden price increase.
China is believed to have strategic oil reserves of about 900 million barrels (900 million barrels). This stock can meet about 90-120 days of import requirements. China’s total oil consumption is estimated to be around 15-16 million barrels per day, and China itself produces about 4 million barrels per day. This means that it has about 4 months of oil reserves.
{{TAG_OPEN_strong_42}China leads in buying cheap oil
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China buys cheap oil from Russia and Iran. Despite Western sanctions, China has continued to import oil from Russia. Therefore, rising international prices will also have less impact on China.
Agreements with the Middle East
China has long-term agreements with many oil-producing countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Prices under these contracts are often less volatile than those in the spot market. In the event of high oil prices, China could reduce imports and use up its reserves.
Economic and Diplomatic Strategy
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In times of international crisis, China often refrains from making public statements. China focuses more on behind-the-scenes diplomatic negotiations and economic strategy to avoid market panics and ensure supply security. China has also made significant investments in coal, gas, nuclear and green energy to reduce its dependence on oil. As a result, the impact of rising oil prices on China’s overall economy has been limited.
Trump’s visit to China
Diplomatic talks between the US and China are underway and US President Donald Trump is also scheduled to visit China. Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2. During the visit, he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. This will be Trump’s first visit to China in his second term and China does not want any conflict before this visit.
It’s worth noting that tensions between the U.S. and China over tariffs and trade have been rising over the past year. The two countries can discuss ways to mitigate these issues. The US wants China to buy less oil from Russia and Iran. Chip technology, investment restrictions and supply chains will also be discussed. It is also reported that in this meeting, China can also make a big deal to buy about 500 aircraft.
How much oil does China import every day?TAG_OPEN_strong_38
In 2025, China imported about 557.7 million tons of crude oil. That’s equivalent to an average of about 11.5 million barrels per day. In 2024, that number was about 11.1 million barrels per day. In the last few months, imports have reached 12-13 million barrels per day, which is a record in itself. This means that China only buys a significant portion of the world’s oil traded by sea. Still, it is silent on rising prices.
