USA threatens secondary sanctions on buyers of Iranian oil
→ Correspondent banks face secondary sanctions if they process Iranian oil funds
China
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East Asia
Iran blocks loaded LNG carriers from transiting the Strait of Hormuz
→ Iran has denied passage to loaded liquefied natural gas carriers through the Strait of Hormuz for weeks, leaving over a dozen LNG tankers idling in the Persian Gulf.
Iran
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China's State Administration for Market Regulation orders food delivery platforms to strengthen safety controls
→ China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) ordered Meituan, Taobao Shangou and JD.com to carry out immediate self-inspections, tighten vendor vetting and delivery procedures, and involve delivery riders in safety supervision ahead of new rules effective in June 2026.
China
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Iran authorises select countries' vessels to transit Strait of Hormuz
→ Iran authorised commercial vessels from India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iraq and Thailand to transit the Strait of Hormuz and explicitly barred passage to the United States and Israel.
India
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China detains Panama-flagged ships
→ China has detained nearly 70 Panama-flagged vessels since March 8 through intensified inspections authorities say targeted Panama after a court invalidated CK Hutchison's Panama port concession.
China
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North Korea and Belarus sign friendship and cooperation treaty
→ North Korea and Belarus signed a friendship and cooperation treaty in Pyongyang that includes pledges to expand bilateral cooperation across areas from agriculture to information.
East Asia
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Japan releases state oil reserves this week
→ Japan will start releasing oil from state reserves on Thursday and will also tap joint Middle Eastern reserves stored in Japan by the end of the month.
Japan
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QatarEnergy halts urea production
→ QatarEnergy halted production of urea and other downstream chemicals in early March, prompting force majeure declarations among Gulf exporters and taking major Gulf export capacity offline.
Sub-Saharan Africa
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China bans diesel, petrol and jet fuel exports
→ China banned exports of diesel, petrol and jet fuel until at least the end of March, curtailing shipments that totalled about US$22 billion in 2025.
China
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Super Micro Computer loses co-founder from board after federal indictment
→ Super Micro Computer Inc confirmed that co-founder Yih‑Shyan “Wally” Liaw resigned from its board following his federal indictment and appointed DeAnna Luna as acting chief compliance officer.
Southeast Asia
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United States Department of Homeland Security offers $2,600 exit bonus to undocumented migrants
→ The United States Department of Homeland Security has launched a program that offers a $2,600 cash payment, free flights booked via the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home Mobile App, and cancellation of certain outstanding fines to non‑criminal undocumented migrants who register to voluntarily self‑deport.
China
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China extradites Prince Group founder Chen Zhi from Cambodia
→ China extradited Prince Group founder Chen Zhi from Cambodia on 8 January after he was indicted in the United States on alleged multibillion-dollar fraud and related transnational criminal charges.
China
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