China keeps oil tanks near full as Hormuz reopening could trigger a short-term import surge

The article says China, the world’s largest oil importer, cut crude imports by about a third during the war, leaving state energy firms’ stockpiles and refiners’ fuel inventories close to full. If the Strait of Hormuz reopens, oil tankers previously stranded in the Persian Gulf and bound for China could arrive in a cluster, temporarily boosting deliveries. The resulting supply-demand setup reduces upside momentum for global oil prices and adds direct downside pressure to crude and fuels such as gasoline.