The value of China’s imports from Russia in April have hit record heights
Letter from China: Beijing backs Moscow
China’s energy imports have offered Russia a lifeline as Western sanctions bite
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine three months ago prompted speculation as to how much support China would be prepared to provide to its northern neighbour and ‘strategic partner’. The most recent energy trade data from the world’s second-largest economy appears to provide an answer. While Beijing has declined to provide direct diplomatic support, it has boosted energy imports from Russia, offering a lifeline to Moscow that has enabled it to withstand Western economic and financial sanctions. The value of China’s imports from Russia in April hit a record high of $8.89bn, up by 56.6pc from a year earlier and 13.3pc higher than March, according to Chinese customs figures. Purchases of oil, gas and
Also in this section
21 August 2025
The administration has once more reduced its short-term gas price forecasts, but the expectation remains the market will tighten over the coming year, on the back of
19 August 2025
ExxonMobil’s MOU with SOCAR, unveiled in Washington alongside the peace agreement with Armenia, highlights how the Karabakh net-zero zone is part of a wider strategic realignment
19 August 2025
OPEC and the IEA have very different views on where the oil market is headed, leaving analysts wondering which way to jump
15 August 2025
US secondary sanctions are forcing a rapid reassessment of crude buying patterns in Asia, and the implications could reshape pricing, freight and supply balances worldwide. With India holding the key to two-thirds of Russian seaborne exports, the stakes could not be higher
