China is markedly changing the sources of its crude-oil imports, shifting away from the United States and increasing purchases from Canada as trade tensions intensify.
Chinese refiners have sharply reduced oil purchases from the U.S.—by roughly 90%—while substantially boosting imports of Canadian crude that arrive via the newly expanded Trans Mountain pipeline system.
In March alone, China received a record 7.3 million barrels of crude from Canada’s west coast port, and even larger shipments were expected in April. This reorientation of supply highlights a broader economic consequence of heightened trade frictions between the two countries.