China is poised to resume exporting jet fuel, gasoline and diesel from May, a shift that could ease global shortages sparked by the Iran conflict.

Before hostilities, China shipped nearly 800,000 barrels a day of refined fuels, a figure that fell to about half by April. A staff member at a state oil firm said Beijing now views its own demand as stable, allowing it to redirect surplus toward international markets.

Asian countries, which depend on imports for roughly 80% of their supply, have felt the pinch most. China has already supplied fuel on a humanitarian basis to Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. The resumption could lift Southeast Asian markets that have struggled with refinery output cuts.

Industry observers note that the move follows China’s recent purchase of 40 million barrels of crude for its strategic reserve and hints at a possible reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Mercuria’s chief executive said Chinese firms had been aggressively selling crude. The National Development and Reform Commission has yet to comment, but the shift signals a strategic pivot that could reshape regional fuel flows.