Day: March 11, 2026

Gulf disruption chokes sulphur flows supporting swaths of global industry

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A surge in the price of sulphur has highlighted how the effects of the Iran war are spreading far beyond energy markets to hit wider supply chains. Shipping has been virtually halted through the Strait of Hormuz, choking off supplies of the byproduct of oil and gas refining that, while a niche commodity, is vital in sectors from fertilisers and chemicals to computer chips and metal processing. The impact of the waterway’s disruption is rippling across industries, with already strained supply chains facing their biggest threat since the Covid-19 pandemic,…

China’s size, strength insulates its energy security amid geopolitical shocks: lawmaker

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Despite its heavy reliance on oil and gas imports, China’s “national strength” insulates its energy security from short-term geopolitical shocks, a prominent petroleum geologist said. Jin Zhijun, dean of the Institute of Energy at Peking University, said that China – as a large country – could ensure its energy security amid a volatile international energy trading landscape, with multiple contingency plans in place. They included tapping more domestic resources by increasing oil and gas exploration, pushing ahead with green energy transition, and expanding international collaboration to ensure the smooth flow…

What if Iran really did buy export variant of China’s YJ-12 supersonic missile?

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Just days ahead of the US-Israeli air strikes on Iran, a news report suggested that Beijing was close to selling supersonic cruise missiles to Tehran – a move that could significantly boost the Islamic Republic’s capacity to counter US aircraft carriers. Before the world could work out whether game-changing Chinese missiles really would feature in an Iranian conflict against US forces, Beijing firmly denied the report, published by Reuters on February 24. Citing six sources, Reuters reported that the deal – involving the CM-302 export version of the People’s Liberation…