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China crude imports rebound after June slump
Imports rose 22% from June to an average 8.45 million barrels per day, helped by a reported 1.397 billion barrel oil inventory stockpile.
China’s crude oil imports reversed an earlier decline, rising by 22% from June to an average of 8.45 million barrels per day, or 35.73 million tons, Bloomberg reported, citing customs data.
The rebound follows a June cut that took China’s total crude imports to a decade low, after three months of very low buying linked to high prices and constrained supply from the Middle East.
The article attributes China’s ability to sharply reduce and then later lift imports to the country’s oil inventory buffer. It said China held an estimated 1.397 billion barrels at the end of 2025, the world’s biggest stockpile, larger than the combined strategic reserves of several other top holders.
Because China is the world’s biggest importer, the stockpile helped support global prices by allowing Beijing to pause purchases during disruptions, though analysts previously warned China would eventually return to international markets.
Latest closeWTI crude $78.07 ▲3.8%