Foreign media lament: China has once again withstood this round of impact

After the Strait of Hormuz, a vital international shipping route in the Middle East, was nearly closed due to the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, not only was the supply of important energy sources such as oil and natural gas severely affected, but some chemicals that rely on these energy supplies also faced supply issues, including fertilizers that are crucial for spring planting in the Northern Hemisphere.

A recent report from Reuters UK shows that while farmers around the world are worried about the surge in fertilizer prices, China has withstood the impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, demonstrating strong resilience in fertilizer supply after energy.

According to Reuters, China’s resilience in fertilizers mainly comes from four aspects: raw materials that are more resistant to external risks, sufficient production capacity, an export strategy focused on domestic demand, and proactive national reserves.

Taking urea as an example, the report states that since late February, when the US and Israel took military action against Iran, the price of urea on the international market has surged by 70%. In countries like Russia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, which produce and export urea, this product is made from natural gas. Therefore, the sharp increase in natural gas prices caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz naturally pushes up urea prices.

However, Reuters notes that China mainly relies on coal—an almost fully self-sufficient resource—for urea production, rather than natural gas. About 78% of China’s urea is produced using coal.

Public data from domestic media and industry organizations support this. A report from CCTV on March 27 this year stated that urea produced from coal accounts for nearly 80% of China’s total urea capacity. A 2023 CCTV report also cited data from the China Coal Industry Association, indicating that China’s domestic coal self-sufficiency rate exceeds 92%.

In addition to coal, which acts as a ballast raw material, ample production capacity is also a key factor enabling China to keep fertilizer prices stable. Reuters reports that China’s urea production capacity this year is expected to reach 76.5 million tons, a 6.3% increase from the previous year. A March report from CCTV also mentioned that since spring planting in 2026, Chinese urea producers have been operating at full capacity, with an average operating rate close to 90%, higher than the same period in 2025.

Therefore, Reuters states that when international urea prices have soared to $700–$800 per ton, domestic prices in China are only about one-third of the international level. A CCTV report on March 26 noted that overall fertilizer prices in China remain stable, with urea and other fertilizers priced below international levels. At that time, the average domestic price of urea was 1,900 yuan per ton.

Additionally, Reuters mentioned China’s export strategy focused on domestic demand and its proactive national reserves. For example, although China does export urea, it usually waits until May—when spring planting is nearly over—before making export decisions. Reuters believes that given the current situation in the Strait of Hormuz, China might reduce exports at that time to prevent domestic urea prices from being affected by international markets.

Public information shows that Chinese authorities and industry organizations have traditionally held meetings in May to discuss fertilizer exports, including urea.

Regarding reserves, Reuters states that Chinese officials announced the early release of various fertilizer reserves before the start of spring planting this year to stabilize the market.

Finally, after foreign netizens recently became attracted to China’s lifestyle and culture, sparking a wave of “becoming Chinese” on overseas social media, and from the increasing number of recent foreign media reports and exchanges with foreigners, Geng Zhi Ge can clearly feel that China’s resilience—demonstrated amid international turbulence—and its behind-the-scenes proactive national strategies are inspiring more and more countries to want to “become China.”

Some foreign media believe that in the process of “becoming China,” China can share not only its experience but also its excellent “Made in China” technology and products.