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U.S. Energy Chief: China to Boost Crude Purchases from Gulf Coast, Alaska

China will significantly increase crude oil imports from the United States, viewing the two nations as natural energy trade partners, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Friday at Port Arthur, Texas.

China, the world's largest oil importer, has historically relied on Middle Eastern suppliers. The recent Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted Persian Gulf exports for weeks, prompting Beijing to diversify sourcing.

Wright predicted growth in U.S. crude shipments to China, with future supplies flowing from Alaska as domestic production accelerates. Chinese vessels will begin calling at Texas and Louisiana ports under the emerging arrangement.

The energy secretary dismissed Iran's strait disruption as a one-time tactic. He projected the Strait of Hormuz will diminish in strategic importance as Gulf nations plan pipelines to bypass the waterway, which previously carried approximately 20% of global oil supplies.