The growing military tension in the Middle East generates concern in China due to its strong energy dependence on that region. More than half of the oil imported by the Asian country comes from nations that are currently affected by the escalation of the conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, which threatens to disrupt key trade routes and make energy supplies more expensive.
One of the main factors of concern is the situation in the Persian Gulf and the risk of disruptions in maritime transport, especially in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic passage through which a significant part of the world’s oil circulates. Any closure or blockage of that route could directly affect the flow of crude oil to Asia and, in particular, to China.
Energy market data show the magnitude of this dependency. In 2025, Iran was China’s second largest oil supplier, behind only Saudi Arabia. During that year, Beijing imported around 520 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, an amount that far exceeds the volume acquired from Venezuela.
If purchases from Iran and Venezuela—two countries facing international sanctions—are added, both represented approximately 17% of the total oil that China acquired abroad. In addition, China has become practically the only relevant buyer of crude oil from these two nations, which reinforces its exposure to any geopolitical change that affects its production or exports.
This energy dependence explains why Beijing closely follows every move of the conflict in the Middle East. A prolonged military escalation or blockade of sea routes could affect the country’s energy security and cause economic impacts on a global scale, given that China is the world’s largest oil importer.