US Treasury: China's oil imports at risk amid Iran's Hormuz blockage

China is in a highly vulnerable position due to the risk of disrupted oil supplies from Persian Gulf countries amid the ongoing US-Israel military operation against Iran, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in an interview with CNBC.

According to Bessent, China has urged Iran to allow safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, through which more than half of China’s energy imports flow.

The Strait accounts for roughly one-fifth of global oil exports.

US media reports indicate that over 3,000 vessels are currently waiting in Persian Gulf ports due to restrictions imposed by Iranian forces, heightening risks to global energy security and oil supply stability.

By Khagan Isayev