Chinese exports of jet fuel, gasoline and diesel are languishing far below their levels before the Iran war despite Beijing signalling it would relax a ban, dashing the hopes of other Asian countries desperate for supplies to combat shortages as a result of the conflict.
China had signalled its intention to ease the oil products export ban it introduced at the start of the Iran war, and the government agreed in late March to sell some fuel to countries in the region on a humanitarian basis. Several large state oil companies applied for export permits to ship refined products in May.
But China exported just 417,000 barrels per day of refined products in the first two weeks of the month, much lower than its usual exports before the war, according to data compiled by oil research group Kpler. In January and February China exported about 750,000 barrels per day of refined fuel.