China's imports of Venezuelan crude climbed last year but face renewed uncertainty as 2026 begins, according to Kpler's Nhway Khin Soe and Ying Cong Loh. Imports averaged 395,000 barrels a day in 2025, up from 268,000 barrels a day in 2024, after the Trump administration revoked operating licenses to major Western oil companies. Now, "while several vessels are currently signaling arrivals at Chinese ports in January 2026--having been loaded prior to the 10 December blockade--their successful discharge cannot yet be confirmed amid shifting maritime and political conditions," the market analysts say. Meanwhile, monitoring Venezuelan cargoes continues to be difficult due to dark ship-to-ship transfers, frequently used to mask Asia-bound movements, adding further complexity and obscuring final destinations.