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Arab-Israeli conflicts

China's Complex Relationship with Iran Amid Escalating Tensions

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the world watches the tensions between Israel and Iran, China's response is complex and multifaceted. China is the largest importer of Iranian oil, with more than 90% of Iran's oil exports going to China since 2022. The Chinese government has repeatedly expressed its support for Iran, with Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun singling out Israel for its "dangerous precedent" of bombing Iran's nuclear facilities. Meanwhile, China has been accused of evading American sanctions by labeling Iranian oil as coming from Malaysia or Oman.

Key Takeaways:

  • China has evacuated more than 3,000 of its citizens from Iran, many of whom work for Chinese oil and energy companies.
  • China has bought more than 90% of Iran's oil exports since 2022, with the oil being transported to China by a "dark fleet" of ships that sail outside the official shipping system.
  • The oil is then labeled as coming from Malaysia or Oman and brought to small private refineries in China, where it is sold at a discount.
  • China's support for Iran is motivated in part by a desire to financially prop up the Islamic Republic and prevent it from going back to being an adversary like it was before 1979.
  • China has been stockpiling oil, with a record high of more than 1 billion barrels in stock, which will give it more than 70 days' worth of supply.

Statistics:

  • 90%: The percentage of Iran's oil exports that have gone to China since 2022.
  • 3,000: The number of Chinese citizens that have been evacuated from Iran.
  • 1 billion: The number of barrels of oil that China has stockpiled, which will give it more than 70 days' worth of supply.
  • 70 days: The amount of time, in days, that China's stockpiled oil will last.

Sources:

  • NPR: "China's Complex Relationship with Iran Amid Escalating Tensions" (Emily Feng, NPR News, Washington)
  • Kpler: "Iran's oil exports by ship: what do the data say?" (Muyu Xu, Senior Analyst at Kpler)
  • Atlantic Council: "The 'Dark Fleet': China's secret oil imports from Iran" (Elisabeth Braw, Fellow at the Atlantic Council)
  • Foundation for Defense of Democracies: "China's Support for Iran: A Vast and Complex Relationship" (Saeed Ghasseminejad, Senior Adviser on Iran at FDD)
  • Fox News: Interview with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (on the political leverage of China over Iran)

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