The geopolitical move of the century is underway. Amid the US naval blockade and the strict new rules imposed by the Revolutionary Guard, Chinese vessels continue crossing the strait with an almost uninterrupted flow.

The data is overwhelming. On April 11, the Chinese supertankers Cospearl Lake and He Rong Hai exited the strait normally. The Cospearl Lake, loaded with Iraqi crude, will arrive at China’s Zhoushan port on May 1. Both are chartered by Unipec, the trading arm of Chinese energy giant Sinopec.

Since March 2, the Revolutionary Guard declared the strait closed to “unfriendly nations”, allowing only the passage of approved vessels. In practice, the privileged list includes five countries: China, Russia, India, Iraq, and Pakistan. The rest must take turns or turn back.

The backdrop is pure calculation. China imports approximately 90% of Iran’s oil and is the only major buyer that has maintained that trade despite Western sanctions. While Europe and other markets see supply cut off, Beijing secures its energy.