Iran War: China has been building up its oil reserves even before the war in Iran began. China added an average of 1.1 million barrels of crude oil per day to its strategic oil reserves through 2025.

China's crude oil reserves

China's Crude Oil Reserves: The entire world is under stress due to the US and Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28. The outbreak of war and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping route, have caused global turmoil.

Crude oil prices are rising, petrol and diesel prices are increasing, logistics costs are increasing, import costs are increasing, and inflation is also on the rise. Meanwhile, a shocking revelation has emerged.  

China increases its oil reserves.

According to US government data released this week, China had already amassed a stockpile of oil before the Iran war began, far exceeding that of any other country. The data shows that this stockpile has grown rapidly over the past year. This is proving to be a strategic advantage at a time of tension in global energy markets.

China is also ahead in these matters.

Data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed that China added an average of 1.1 million barrels of crude oil to its reserves each day in 2025. By December 2025, China had approximately 1.4 trillion barrels of oil in stock. Government data also indicated that China continued to increase its reserves until the start of the Iran war in late February.

China's reserves are more than three times larger than the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). While the US has reserves of 400 million barrels, China has amassed a staggering 1.4 billion barrels of oil. Beyond oil, China also controls more than 70% of the global solar, wind, and electric vehicle supply chains.

cheaply purchased oil

China purchased oil at low prices from countries like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, which are under Western sanctions. Experts believe China took this step because it did not want its economy to be affected by the war. China purchased oil at a time when international oil prices were around $60 per barrel.