Chinese tankers delivered more than 260,000 barrels of diesel to the Philippines and about 100,000 barrels of distillates to Vietnam on March 28-29, Bloomberg reported on March 29. At the same time, China and the Philippines resumed high-level talks covering South China Sea tensions alongside preliminary discussions on oil and gas cooperation in the disputed waterway, Reuters reported separately on March 29.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted global energy markets, pushing import-dependent Southeast Asian economies like the Philippines and Vietnam into acute fuel shortages. This dynamic drove China to impose export curbs on refined petroleum products in early March, resulting in an effective export ban that has enabled Beijing to direct limited volumes toward choice partners in a bid for diplomatic goodwill.