How China Can Survive Without the Strait of Hormuz

Cargo ships and tankers are seen off coast city of Fujairah, in the Strait of Hormuz in the northern Emirate on February 25, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)
Cargo ships and tankers are seen off coast city of Fujairah, in the Strait of Hormuz in the northern Emirate on February 25, 2026. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP)

China can survive without the Strait of Hormuz because it has built a broader energy cushion than most Asian importers, even though it still buys more oil through the waterway than any other country.

China imported about 5.4 million barrels per day via Hormuz in the first quarter of 2025, but no single supplier accounts for more than 20% of its crude imports, giving Beijing a more diversified supply base than peers like Japan or South Korea.

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by CGSP Staff

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