China cuts Russian oil imports in 2025 amid sanctions pressure and energy diversification

China’s reduction of Russian oil imports in 2025 is not an isolated trade adjustment but part of a broader recalibration driven by geopolitics, sanctions pressure, and Beijing’s long-term energy security strategy, Azernews reports.

According to China’s General Administration of Customs, oil imports from Russia fell by 7.1% to 100.72 million tons, while the value of those supplies dropped by a much steeper 20.4% to $49.8 billion. The sharper decline in value suggests that discounted pricing, once a key incentive for Chinese refiners, has become less decisive amid growing financial, logistical, and reputational risks associated with sanctioned Russian crude.

Despite Russia remaining China’s largest single oil supplier, its relative weight in Beijing’s energy basket is gradually eroding. Over the same period, China increased imports from Middle Eastern and alternative suppliers. Saudi Arabia strengthened its position with a 2.6% rise to 80.75 million tons, reinforcing its role as a stable and politically less risky partner. Iraq also expanded supplies, while Malaysia and Brazil continued to benefit from China’s strategy of diversifying both geography and transport routes.

This trend aligns with earlier reporting by Bloomberg, which indicated that Chinese oil purchases from Russia had, at certain points, dropped by nearly two-thirds. The report highlighted that both state-owned and private Chinese refiners have become increasingly cautious, not necessarily due to political alignment, but because of practical constraints: sanctions compliance risks, difficulties with shipping insurance, payment settlements, and access to Western financial systems.

For Beijing, the shift reflects a delicate balancing act. China has avoided openly distancing itself from Moscow, but it has also shown little willingness to absorb the full economic costs of defying US and EU sanctions regimes. Instead, it appears to be quietly hedging — maintaining energy ties with Russia while reducing overdependence and expanding imports from countries less exposed to secondary sanctions.

At the same time, the decline in Russian oil purchases comes amid slowing growth in China’s overall fuel demand, driven by structural changes in the economy, rising electric vehicle adoption, and a gradual transition toward cleaner energy sources. These domestic factors further reduce the urgency to rely heavily on discounted but politically sensitive supplies.

Taken together, the data suggest that Russia’s role in China’s energy strategy is becoming more conditional. While Moscow remains an important supplier, Beijing’s 2025 import pattern signals a preference for flexibility, risk mitigation, and diversification — even if that means paying more for oil that comes with fewer geopolitical complications.