Sanctioned Russia becomes China’s main source of oil
China ramped up crude oil imports from Russia in May, customs data showed Monday, helping to offset losses from Western nations scaling back Russian energy purchases over the invasion of Ukraine.
The spike means Russia has now overtaken Saudi Arabia to become China’s top oil provider as the West continues to sanction Moscow’s energy exports.
The world’s second-biggest economy imported around 8.42 million tonnes of oil from Russia last month — a 55 per cent on-year rise — as Beijing continues to refuse to publicly condemn Moscow’s war while exacting economic gains from its isolated neighbour. China imported 7.82 million tonnes of oil from Saudi Arabia in May.
