International News 10 September 2026
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China’s Oil Demand Projected to Drop 8.9% in 2026 Amid EV Shift and High Prices
China’s crude oil demand is forecast to contract by 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) in 2026—an 8.9% year-on-year drop—marking its third consecutive annual decline, according to research from state-owned oil giant Sinopec cited by Reuters on Wednesday. The persistent contraction is being driven by elevated global crude prices dampening industrial and consumer consumption, coupled with the rapid domestic adoption of electric vehicles and alternative fuels displacing traditional petroleum products. This structural decline in the world's largest crude importer has emerged as a critical ceiling on Chinese import volumes and global oil prices. Even as severe maritime transit disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities have removed significant supply from international markets, China's cooling domestic oil consumption continues to soften the overall geopolitical shock to global energy benchmarks.
https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/harga-tinggi-permintaan-minyak-china-diprediksi-turun-89
Crude Oil Surges for Fourth Straight Session as Iran Strikes US Gulf Assets
Global crude benchmarks jumped by more than $1 per barrel in early trading on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, extending gains for a fourth consecutive session. The latest price surge followed a new wave of Iranian strikes against United States military installations in the Persian Gulf, intensifying market fears of an uncontained regional escalation and broader supply disruptions. According to Reuters, Brent crude futures rallied $1.57, or 1.6%, to $99.49 per barrel at 00:01 GMT, trading just shy of the triple-digit threshold. Concurrently, U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) advanced $1.60, or 1.72%, to reach $94.63 per barrel, as traders aggressively priced in expanding geopolitical risk premiums across Middle Eastern energy transit infrastructure.
Trump Administration Pressures Ford to Decouple from Chinese EV Tech and Suppliers
The United States-China trade conflict has intensified within the automotive sector, with the Trump administration pressuring Ford Motor Company to drastically reduce its reliance on Chinese technology, components, and manufacturing ties. According to a Reuters report on Wednesday, September 9, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that Ford's partnerships with Chinese battery giant CATL, as well as automakers Geely and BYD, pose serious national security risks, calling on the automaker to sever ties with these entities. Federal scrutiny is primarily zeroed in on battery production architecture, notably Ford's use of licensed CATL technology at its electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Marshall, Michigan. For Washington, the arrangement underscores how domestic EV supply chains remain deeply tethered to Chinese intellectual property and processing. However, a mandated break would force automakers like Ford to absorb considerable friction, including soaring re-tooling costs, expensive manufacturing reconfigurations, and potential component shortages as they attempt to replace established Chinese supply lines. This decoupling drive coincides with an aggressive global expansion by Chinese automakers, who are leveraging domestic overcapacity to capture foreign market share. In August 2026, Chinese passenger vehicle exports rose 77.5% year-on-year to 894,000 units, with new-energy vehicle shipments spiking 154.7%. As a result, U.S. legacy automakers face a difficult dual squeeze: federal mandates to sever low-cost Asian supplier links, balanced against the commercial need to remain competitive against Chinese rivals operating with unmatched scale and battery cost advantages.
https://internasional.kontan.co.id/news/perang-dagang-as-china-kian-menekan-industri-otomotif-global