Viewpoint
11.07.23
China-Saudi RMB Settlement Will Insulate the Oil Trade from U.S. Sanctions
In recent years, Beijing has made efforts to facilitate the settlement of China-Saudi oil trade in renminbi (RMB) rather than in U.S. dollars, a move that would steel China’s trade from financial sanctions and disrupt the global market for oil.
Conversation
08.20.19
What Would a Larger Chinese Presence Mean for the Middle East?
China’s steady expansion of its Middle East footprint and influence poses significant questions for U.S. policymakers. The Middle East has long been a battleground for strategic competition between both regional and global powers. Is it poised to...
Features
11.28.18
Beijing’s Long Struggle to Control Xinjiang’s Mineral Wealth
The Silk Road Economic Belt—the overland component of Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)—promises to bind China to Central Asia and beyond through a new infrastructural network. Connecting through China’s far western Xinjiang...
Photo Gallery
10.11.18
Reform or Ruin: Chinese Cities on the Edge
China’s rapid industrialization has both led to, and been driven by, resource cultivation and extraction of breathtaking scope. But what happens when the resources run out?For many Chinese cities, local natural resources are a wellspring of jobs,...
The China Africa Project
08.29.18
Is This Really the Best Time for a China-Africa Summit?
Does it still make sense for China to put on big, expensive mega-summits with African leaders, like FOCAC, which will take place in Beijing in September? Facing a slowing economy and a potentially devastating trade war with the U.S., maybe China is...
ChinaFile Recommends
08.07.18China’s Gas Tariffs Are a Permian-Size Problem for Oil
Bloomberg
The latest bit of America’s energy sector to feel the over-the-shoulder lash is the liquefied natural gas-export business. On Friday, LNG joined the list of goods that China will hit with tariffs in retaliation for U.S. ones. This...
Conversation
08.01.18
What Would a U.S. War—or Peace—with Iran mean for China?
China is the largest buyer of Iranian oil, Iran’s largest trading partner, and arguably its most important positive political relationship. What do Trump’s threats to Iran mean for China’s relationship with the country? And how would a war between...
ChinaFile Recommends
07.12.18US-China Trade Brawl Threatens America’s Booming Oil Exports
CNN
China is America’s second-biggest crude oil customer, and Beijing has threatened to retaliate against President Donald Trump’s trade crackdown by imposing tariffs on US crude oil.
ChinaFile Recommends
05.17.18China Has Decided Russia Is Too Risky an Investment
Foreign Policy
On May 4, the planned investment by the Chinese company CEFC China Energy into Russian state oil giant Rosneft fell apart, eight months after it was first announced.
The China Africa Project
04.16.18
Angola: China’s Risky Gamble in Africa
China has loaned Angola an estimated U.S.$60 billion dollars since the two countries established diplomatic relations back in 1983, making it one of the top destinations for Chinese financing in Africa. Angola is especially attractive for the...
ChinaFile Recommends
03.26.18China’s Attempts to Supplant Dollar Face Historic Difficulties
Wall Street Journal
The world’s first yuan-denominated oil contracts launched Monday, as part of China’s drive to turn its currency into a global force in markets.
ChinaFile Recommends
03.07.18China and the Philippines Will Work Together to Tap the South China Sea’s Vast Oil Deposits
Forbes
China needs fuel to grow the world’s second-largest economy by 6.5% this year as established this week at annual legislative sessions.
ChinaFile Recommends
01.18.18Oil Spill off China Coast Now the Size of Paris
CNN
An oil spill from an Iranian oil tanker that sank in the East China Sea is now the size of Paris.
ChinaFile Recommends
01.16.18Huge Oil Spill Spreads in East China Sea, Stirring Environmental Fears
New York Times
Greenpeace said the disaster occurred in “an important spawning ground” for fish.
ChinaFile Recommends
01.09.18East China Sea Oil Tanker Burns for Third Day as Winds, High Waves Lash Rescuers
Reuters
The poor conditions, with rain and waves as high as 3 meters (10 feet), frustrated efforts to tame the fire and search for the 31 remaining tanker crew members, China’s Ministry of Transport said in a statement on Tuesday.
ChinaFile Recommends
01.05.18China Says It Will Limit Oil, Refined Product Exports to North Korea
CNBC
China's Commerce Ministry said on Friday it will limit exports of crude oil, refined oil products, steel and other metals to North Korea, in line with tough new sanctions imposed by the United Nations for Pyongyang's missile tests.
ChinaFile Recommends
12.13.17Tillerson offers North Korea talks ‘without preconditions’
Financial Times
US secretary of state Rex Tillerson offered to open direct talks with North Korea “without preconditions” in a new overture to Pyongyang that jars with the more confrontational stance of the White House.
ChinaFile Recommends
10.09.17Breakingviews - China's Oil Giants Brace for Electric Car Crash
Reuters
China’s push into new energy vehicles (NEVs) – including battery-powered and hybrid cars – could curb demand for black gold. Sinopec and PetroChina will be hardest hit. The policy will also add to downward pressure on global crude prices.
ChinaFile Recommends
10.06.17Exclusive: Russia’s Rosneft Aims for Big Boost in Oil Exports to China - Sources
Reuters
Russia’s largest oil producer Rosneft (ROSN.MM) wants to boost its supplies of oil to China through Kazakhstan to as much as 18 million tonnes (36,000 bpd) per year from around 10 million tonnes in 2017, three industry sources said on Friday.
ChinaFile Recommends
09.27.17China's ‘Teapot’ Oil Refiners Feel the Heat as Competition Grows
Financial Times
China’s independent oil refiners face an uphill struggle as excess capacity in the sector and slower demand for fuel creates a tougher trading environment, a top executive has warned.
ChinaFile Recommends
09.06.17South Korea Calls for Cutting North Korea’s Oil Supplies but Russia Is Reluctant
Washington Post
Amid escalating tensions in the Korean Peninsula, South Korean President Moon Jae-In sought Russian backing Wednesday for calls to block critical crude oil supplies to the North Korean regime after its latest nuclear test.
ChinaFile Recommends
08.09.17Hong Kong Cleans Up 93 Tons of Palm Oil; Beaches Smothered By Spill
Reuters
Hong Kong stepped up efforts on Wednesday to clean up a massive palm oil spill, with authorities scooping up more than 90 tonnes of foul—smelling, styrofoam—like clumps in one of the worst environmental disasters to blight the territory’s waters.
ChinaFile Recommends
06.14.17Asia Closes Mostly Lower Following Release of China Industrial Data; Fed Awaited
CNBC
Equities in Asia closed mostly lower on Wednesday as China data came in mostly in line with expectations and markets awaited the Federal Reserve's decision on monetary policy.
The China Africa Project
05.10.17
China Appears to be Losing Interest in Africa
Beijing-based investment attorney Kai Xue joins Eric and Cobus to discuss why he thinks Africa is no longer appealing to Chinese companies. Kai Xue is a longtime Sino-African affairs analyst and carefully monitors trade, foreign direct investment,...
ChinaFile Recommends
04.24.17China Is Squeezing North Korea - but Not Too Hard
CNN
China wields huge influence over the North Korean economy, accounting for more than 80% of its smaller neighbor’s foreign trade and serving as its main gateway to the rest of the world.
ChinaFile Recommends
04.05.17China’s Emergence as Top U.S. Oil Buyer Highlights Economic Ties
Financial Times
China was the top foreign buyer of U.S. crude in February, according to data that show the growing interdependence of the world’s big energy-consuming nations at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.
ChinaFile Recommends
01.17.17China’s Oil Collapse Is Unintentionally Helping OPEC
Bloomberg
OPEC’s campaign to prop up oil prices is getting unlikely support from its biggest customer.
Conversation
12.30.16
Rex Tillerson at State: What Will He Mean for U.S.-China Relations?
On December 13, President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team announced the selection of ExxonMobil Chief Executive Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. We asked ChinaFile contributors to respond to the choice with a specific focus on how Tillerson...
ChinaFile Recommends
12.01.16China Stands to Gain from OPEC Deal
Wall Street Journal
Output agreement could boost the country’s oil industry and reduce its reliance on Saudi crude
ChinaFile Recommends
10.18.16As China Shifts From Exporter to Importer, Fortunes Change
New York Times
Daqing is home to China’s biggest oil field, and the city’s troubles reflect a broader reality for the country: Once a major exporter of oil, China is now one of the world’s biggest net oil importers.
ChinaFile Recommends
10.14.16China Rethinks Approach After Surge in Lending to Risky Countries
Financial Times
Lower oil price wreaks havoc on debt repayments
ChinaFile Recommends
09.27.16China Industrial Profits Rise Most in 3 Years as Economy Shows Signs of Stabilizing
Reuters
Is the improvement fleeting or real?
ChinaFile Recommends
09.12.16China Rethinks Its Alliance With Reeling Venezuela
Wall Street Journal
Concerns prompted emergency meetings between the Chinese envoy and state companies.
ChinaFile Recommends
07.11.16China Peacekeepers Killed in South Sudan as Civil War Looms
Bloomberg
Heavy clashes continued early Monday near the UN’s two bases in the capital Juba.
The China Africa Project
06.24.16
Why the Stakes Are So High for China in South Sudan
Nowhere else in Africa do China’s financial, diplomatic, and geopolitical interests confront as much risk as they do in South Sudan. Beijing has invested billions of dollars in the country’s oil sector, deployed over a thousand troops to serve as U...
ChinaFile Recommends
03.22.16Russia Deals Deepen India Hold in China Oil-Buying Backyard
Bloomberg
India is replacing China as the center of the world’s oil demand growth as its economy expands faster than any other major country.
The China Africa Project
03.14.16
Africa’s Role in China’s One Belt, One Road Global Trade Strategy
China’s lofty ambition to revive its ancient silk road trading routes is now becoming a reality. When complete, One Belt, One Road (OBOR), or the Maritime Silk Road as it is more commonly known, will connect China via rail and shipping links with...
The China Africa Project
02.24.16
China/Africa Vs. China/South America
China’s engagement in Africa is often seen by many observers in a vacuum without a broader understanding of how the relationship compares to Beijing’s strategy in other regions of the world. South America, in particular, provides an interesting...
The China Africa Project
02.11.16
China’s Risky Gamble to Become a Major Player in the Middle East and North Africa
Chinese president Xi Jinping’s three-country tour of the Middle East and North Africa offers yet another example of Beijing’s expanding drive for increased global influence. During his first visit to the region, Xi traveled to Saudi Arabia, Egypt,...
ChinaFile Recommends
11.27.15China to Build Naval Hub in Djibouti
Wall Street Journal
Beijing confirms for the first time plans for East African nation, already home to U.S. base.
Conversation
11.24.15
The China Africa Relationship: Crossroads or Cliff?
As we approach the sixth Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit in Johannesburg, we try better to understand the main issues that surely will arise when Chinese President Xi Jinping and South African President Jacob Zuma meet on December 4...
ChinaFile Recommends
11.09.15China Has Passed Canada as the Biggest U.S. Trading Partner––Thanks to Oil Prices
Quartz
Crude oil, a key export for Canada, has dropped from a 2014 peak of $107 per barrel to just $44 today (Nov. 9)
The China Africa Project
10.30.15
China’s Risky Oil Strategy in Africa’s Sahel Region
Chad is one of the poorest, most corrupt, and, increasingly, most volatile countries in Africa. A recent wave of suicide bombings, allegedly orchestrated by Boko Haram, killing 36 and injuring 50, highlights the perilous challenges of doing business...
ChinaFile Recommends
10.07.15Putting the Past Behind in China
New York Times
The days of China’s relying on export manufacturing and infrastructure construction as drivers of economic growth are gone.
ChinaFile Recommends
09.29.15ChinaFile Recommends
09.18.15China Is Hoarding the World's Oil
Bloomberg
Goldman Sachs says Chinese hoarding may avert $20 oil scenario.
Features
09.14.15
Sino-Russian Trade After a Year of Sanctions
from Carnegie Moscow Center
After a year of intense flirtation, the Sino-Russian relationship is beginning to look like a one-sided love affair. Indeed, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to China last week—his first since the United States and European Union enacted...
ChinaFile Recommends
09.09.15In Africa, Those Who Bet on China Face Fallout
Wall Street Journal
Economic slowdown in China exacerbates strain for trading partners in Africa.
Caixin Media
08.11.15
Auditors Probe Sinopec, Savvy Broker in Angola
Government auditors are taking a closer look at U.S.$10 billion worth of offshore oil investments by state-run China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) that owe their existence to a Hong Kong businessman with a flair for networking in the...
The China Africa Project
08.11.15
China’s Role in Africa’s ‘Looting Machine’
China goes to great lengths to differentiate its engagement in Africa from the continent’s former European colonizers by emphasizing so-called “win-win development.” Chinese leaders regularly visit Africa where they emphatically reject the...
ChinaFile Recommends
07.09.15Oil Prices Rise on China Recovery and Iran Deadlock
Wall Street Journal
Oil prices climb as Chinese stocks rebounded, easing concerns about China’s economic growth, and expectations of higher Iranian crude-oil exports receded.
Caixin Media
05.19.15
Why Xinjiang’s Economy Is Sputtering
It has been almost one year since a terrorist bombing in Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang region, shocked the nation and brought economic woes and social conflicts in the largely Uighur-populated area into the spotlight again.I arrived by train...
Caixin Media
04.28.15
Saudi Aramco’s Al-Falih on China Collaboration
Saudi Arabian Oil Company President and CEO Khalid A. Al-Falih has seen global oil prices rise and fall through at least six market cycles during his more than 30 years with the world’s largest crude producer and exporter.Al-Falih, 55, joined the...
ChinaFile Recommends
04.23.15China’s Big Plunge in Pakistan
New York Times
If China can advance a stable Pakistan through development programs, the whole region would benefit.
ChinaFile Recommends
04.21.15China’s One Belt, One Road Initiative
Foreign Affairs
Beijing looks West toward Eurasian integration.
ChinaFile Recommends
04.20.15Philippines Starts South China Sea War Games With U.S.
Bloomberg
More than 11,000 soldiers from the Philippines, U.S. and Australia will take part in joint drills in the South China Sea.
ChinaFile Recommends
04.01.15Petrobras Deepens China Tie With $3.5 Billion Loan Deal
Bloomberg
The world’s most indebted oil producer bolsters ties to China as corruption scandal shuts it out of international bond markets.
Conversation
02.27.15
Are China and Russia Forging a New Ideological Bloc?
With evidence of ties strengthening between Beijing and Moscow—over energy contracts, the handling of the Ukraine, and their diplomats' stance toward outside interference in internal affairs, especially if it's perceived as coming from...
ChinaFile Recommends
02.10.15Large South China Sea Gas Field Discovered South of Hainan
Xinhua
The China National Offshore Oil Corp has identified over 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas at the Lingshui 17-2 gas field.
ChinaFile Recommends
01.22.15The South China Sea: Oil on Troubled Waters
Economist
Two Chinese oil companies show contrasting approaches in their attempts to operate in the South China Sea where, to the discomfort of its smaller neighbours, China’s claims in disputed waters have grown increasingly assertive.