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After Trump's new order, the trade of Venezuelan oil with China is halted.

The trade of Venezuelan crude oil to China, its top buyer, slowed on Tuesday following the U.S. President Donald Trump’s order that threatened tariffs against countries purchasing from Caracas. This came days after U.S. sanctioned China's imports of Iranian oil.

Trump's surprise order caught Chinese traders and refiners by surprise. It states that, at the discretionary discretion of the Secretary of State, the U.S. can impose 25% tariffs starting April 2 on any goods imported from countries importing Venezuelan crude oil.

Chinese traders and refiners are waiting to see the implementation of the order and if Beijing will instruct them to stop purchasing. However, several industry insiders expect that flows would eventually continue, citing the frequent changes in Trump's threats.

Top executive of a Chinese oil trader who regularly buys Venezuelan oil has said that the firm won't be buying any shipments in April.

The worst thing about the oil market right now is uncertainty. "We won't touch the oil until later," he said.

The order, according to another trading executive at an independent refiner who occasionally purchases Venezuelan oil creates confusion and will also affect Singaporean buyers of Venezuelan fuel.

The executive stated, "It is a complete mess." "China has already started a tariff battle with the U.S." "So be it."

Third trader said that independent refiners, known as teapots, who are the main Chinese purchasers of Venezuelan crude oil were also pausing to seek information about whether or not supply will continue and at what price.

China is Venezuela's biggest oil buyer. It directly and indirectly imports 503,000 barrels of crude and fuel per day from Venezuela, or about 55% of the country's exports. Most of these are rebranded to Malaysian after they have been transshipped.

The majority of Venezuelan oil imported into China is processed in a group teapots that prefer the Merey heavy grade, which is cheaper than Iranian or Russian oil sanctioned by the U.S.

BEIJING SIGNATURE?

Beijing reiterated on Tuesday its longstanding opposition to unilateral sanction and stated that it was firmly against the latest U.S. action.

Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, told a briefing of journalists that "the United States has abused illegal unilateral sanction and so-called Long-Arm jurisdiction to grossly interfere in the internal affairs other countries"

Trump has imposed 20% more tariffs on Chinese goods since February, and possibly even more will be announced in early April. China responded by imposing counter-tariffs, implementing curbs on the export of certain minerals, and launching investigations into foreign companies.

Teapots, squeezed for margins, and needing cheap feedstock, will probably continue to buy once they get more clarity.

Officials at an independent refinery, which does not purchase Venezuelan oil, expect the U.S. action to have a "minimal" effect on Chinese purchases.

"Refiners don't care about the 25 percent tariffs. The person stated that it's up China's position - the U.S.'s actions are a violation of the free trade agreement and China will remain strongly against them.

As well as teapot buyers, it was reported in 2022 by a trading division of a state-owned defense company that China had brought in direct shipments in the amount of 42,000 bpd. This was part of an agreement to offset Caracas’ billions of dollar debt to Beijing.

The executive and a trader who is close to Merey Deals said that the arrangement continued.

Washington imposed sanctions last week on entities such as Shouguang Liqing Petrochemical (a teapot refiner) and vessels that provided oil to plants like these in China, which is the largest buyer of Iranian crude.

(source: Reuters)