Betrayal in the Indo-Pacific: US ally woos Xi for jet fuel as Trump returns empty-handed from China?

Australia has secured emergency jet fuel shipments from China as the Strait of Hormuz crisis continues, disrupting global energy supplies and rattling Indo-Pacific markets. Canberra confirmed three cargoes totaling more than 600,000 barrels, or around 100 million litres, will begin arriving from early June after talks between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The deal comes as Beijing had previously curbed fuel exports to protect domestic reserves, highlighting the seriousness of the supply crunch triggered by the Iran conflict. Australia also secured large urea shipments from Brunei under a multi-billion-dollar fuel and fertilizer security plan aimed at protecting transport, aviation, and agriculture sectors.