China gets most of its oil from imports, mainly from Russia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia (often as a hub for sanctioned crude), Iraq, and Oman, plus a smaller share from domestic production.

Big picture: China’s oil dependence

  • China is the world’s largest crude oil importer, covering roughly two‑thirds to three‑quarters of its oil needs with imports rather than domestic fields.
  • Domestic output from major fields like Daqing and offshore projects is significant but has been largely flat, so rising demand has been met mostly by foreign supplies.

Main countries China buys from

In recent years, the bulk of China’s imported crude has been coming from:

  • Russia – Now the top supplier, providing roughly about one‑fifth of China’s crude imports, helped by discounted barrels routed via pipelines and tankers after Western sanctions.
  • Saudi Arabia – A long‑term core supplier, usually near the top, with state company Saudi Aramco investing in refining and petrochemical projects inside China.
  • Malaysia (as hub) – Reported as a major “supplier,” but volumes far exceed Malaysia’s own production, reflecting relabeled or ship‑to‑ship cargoes of Iranian and sometimes Venezuelan crude.
  • Iraq and Oman – Stable Middle Eastern sources that typically contribute around 10% and a mid‑single‑digit share of imports respectively.
  • Others – United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Angola, and the United States supply smaller but still meaningful shares, with volumes shifting year to year based on prices and politics.

How the oil physically gets to China

  • Seaborne routes – Roughly 90% of China’s crude imports arrive by sea through key chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca, then to ports such as Ningbo-Zhoushan, Qingdao, and Dalian.
  • Pipelines – Overland flows come mainly from Russia, Kazakhstan, and a smaller amount from Myanmar; Russia supplies the vast majority of these pipeline barrels via routes like the ESPO system into northeastern China.

Why “Malaysia” and “others” matter so much

  • A sizable share of the crude China buys is sanctioned oil from Iran, Venezuela, and certain Russian cargoes, which is often relabeled under flags such as Malaysia, UAE, or Oman to dodge U.S. restrictions.
  • Independent “teapot” refineries in provinces like Shandong are big buyers of these discounted barrels, boosting their margins and quietly reshaping China’s import mix.

Recent trends and latest news flavor

  • Since 2022, discounted Russian crude has steadily displaced some Middle Eastern volumes in China’s mix, deepening the energy partnership between Beijing and Moscow.
  • At the same time, China is investing in strategic petroleum reserves, refinery upgrades, and more petrochemical capacity to hedge against future demand shifts and geopolitical supply risks.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.