US House committee calls for major crackdown on China’s alleged sanctioned oil imports
Bipartisan panel argues sanctions have concentrated discounted oil in Beijing's hands – charges the Chinese government denies
Lawmakers in the United States have urged the administration of US President Donald Trump to take action against China’s alleged sanctioned oil imports by blacklisting port operators and blocking complex settlement networks.
The committee – a bipartisan panel charged with investigating and developing policies to address challenges posed by Beijing – warned that current enforcement gaps had to be closed.
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the US, told the South China Morning Post via email on Thursday that Beijing consistently opposes unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdictions that lack any basis in international law or a mandate from the UN Security Council.
“The normal economic, trade and energy cooperation between China and the relevant countries does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted or affected,” Liu said.
“China will resolutely safeguard its energy security and the legitimate rights and interests of its enterprises and citizens.”
According to Kpler data cited in the report, published on Tuesday, China’s imports of sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela surged to 2.6 million barrels per day in 2025, accounting for about one-quarter of its total seaborne oil imports.
The report’s authors said Western sanctions had failed to cut off revenue from these countries and had instead concentrated discounted oil in China’s hands.