China has received about 1.2 million barrels of Iranian oil per day this year so far, just a touch less than during the same time in 2025, according to information from industry data provider Kpler, cited by the New York Times (NYT) on 25 August.

According to Muyu Xu, a senior Kpler oil analyst, large quantities of oil are now sitting on ships and in storage tanks near the Malacca Strait and South China Sea.

“Up-to-date volumes are difficult to measure because ships have become increasingly skilled at evading detection,” Xu was cited as saying by NYT.

The number of barrels of Iranian oil received is only “slightly less” than last year.

Due to incessant US sanctions and Chinese oil giants’ ties to banks in the west, China’s major state oil firms are avoiding buying Iranian energy.

However, privately owned refiners described as “teapot refiners” have been buying Iranian oil at high discounts and have converted it into gas and diesel for the local market, according to NYT.

These companies are hard for the US to pressure, the report goes on to state.

“Iranian oil is frequently transported to waters off Malaysia, where cargoes are transferred between vessels before continuing to Chinese ports,” the US outlet writes.

NYT added that the “Trump administration risks a clash with Beijing as it tries to cut off Iran’s economic lifelines without upending a fragile US–China truce,” referring to the US–Chinese trade and tariff war that is currently on hold.

Beijing has strongly condemned Washington’s declaration of a new economic war against Iran.

China warned Washington on 25 August that it is ready to respond to “maximum pressure” and “economic isolation” pursued by the US.

“An economic war and maximum pressure will not help resolve the issue,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian.

“They will only further intensify contradictions and conflicts, cause risks to spill over, disrupt the global economic and financial order, and harm the legitimate rights and interests of other countries,” he added.

“China is closely following the relevant developments and will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests.”

Sanctions only “lead to escalation,” the same spokesperson said a day earlier.

This week, Iran announced its own sanctions on vessels violating its new regulations in the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently shut to Washington by Tehran over US attacks and violations of an understanding reached in June.

Chinese vessels that have coordinated with Iranian naval forces have been allowed through the strait throughout the several waves of closures Hormuz has faced since the US and Israel launched their illegal war on Iran, killing thousands.

Washington has recently reimposed its illegal blockade of Iranian ports.