About 40 percent of China’s oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz

Ahead of his visit to Beijing, US President Donald Trump has urged China to step up its efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz. In an interview with the Financial Times, he said that a large part of China's total oil consumption comes through this route, so it is in Beijing's own interest to keep the waterway open.

Trump is scheduled to hold a key meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March. However, Trump has indicated that the schedule of the visit may be slightly postponed, although he did not give any detailed explanation. The US president expects China's active cooperation in resolving the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz before that meeting.

In the interview, Trump claimed that 90 percent of China's essential oil is transported through the Strait of Hormuz. However, the actual figures give a slightly different information. According to the Washington-based think tank 'Center for Strategic and International Studies', about 40 percent of China's total oil imports pass through this strait.

In addition, according to other trade data, although China buys about 90 percent of its total oil from Iran, it is equivalent to only 12 percent of China's overall oil imports.

President Trump's comments come at a time when global energy security and Sino-US diplomatic relations are taking a new turn. What China's role in a sensitive area like the Strait of Hormuz ultimately stands to be seen.

Source: BBC.