In the first eight months of 2026, China has been recognized as the largest crude oil importer in the world, with a share of 19.0 percent of global oil trade. According to new reports, the volume of crude oil imports to this country during this period has decreased to 261.7 million tons, indicating a 20.0 percent decline compared to last year.
Oil Imports to the European Union and Other Countries
Meanwhile, crude oil imports to the European Union have increased by 1.7 percent to 310.9 million tons in the first eight months of 2026, which accounts for 22.6 percent of global oil trade, making this bloc a larger buyer than China. Additionally, imports to India have decreased by 1.5 percent to 156.3 million tons, and to South Korea by 11.0 percent to 82.5 million tons.
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Main Oil Import Terminals in China
In the first eight months of 2026, 76.5 percent of the crude oil imported by China was transported via VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers). The most important crude oil terminals in China include Dongjiakou (28.9 million tons), Ningbo/Zhoushan (27.7 million tons), and Lianshan (24.7 million tons). Other significant terminals include Beilun (14.8 million tons), Zhoushan (13.0 million tons), and Dalian (12.5 million tons).
In 2025, crude oil imports to China decreased to 506.5 million tons, reflecting a 0.3 percent decline compared to the previous year. At the same time, the volume of crude oil imports from the Middle East to China has also decreased, with this region's share reaching 32.6 percent in the first eight months of 2026, down from 45.6 percent in the same period last year.
Interestingly, Brazil is recognized as the largest exporter of crude oil to China, with its share reaching 14.1 percent during this period. Meanwhile, the shares of Russia and Saudi Arabia are 13.6 and 13.2 percent, respectively. Additionally, imports from Saudi Arabia have decreased by 30.9 percent to 34.4 million tons. During the same period, imports from Iraq and Kuwait have reached 14.5 and 2.0 million tons, respectively, indicating significant declines of 64.7 and 78.7 percent.
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