Scramble for Jet Fuel Shows How Energy Shortages Are Rippling Across Asia

As China and other major suppliers of refined oil in the region restrict exports, import-dependent countries are desperate to secure fuel supplies.


Wellington International Airport in New Zealand. Air New Zealand has canceled about 1,100 flights through early May. Marty Melville/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By Alexandra Stevenson, Aaron Krolik, Tung Ngo and Victoria Kim
Alexandra Stevenson reported from Hong Kong; Aaron Krolik from Seoul; Tung Ngo from Hanoi, Vietnam; and Victoria Kim from Sydney, Australia.

March 20, 2026
Updated 2:37 a.m. ET

Three weeks into a war in the Middle East that is roiling energy markets, Asia is confronting one of the first major consequences of an oil shortage, as jet fuel prices surge to record levels and governments scramble to keep flights running.

Airlines have canceled thousands of flights, stranding tens of thousands of passengers. Major regional energy suppliers, including China, South Korea and Thailand, are restricting exports, while import-dependent countries like Vietnam are forced to ration and call on others for help.

The accelerating crisis offers a first glimpse of what happens when oil supplies are suddenly choked off by an unexpected crisis with no clear end in sight. The pain is most acute in Asia, where countries rely on Middle Eastern oil and have limited stockpiles, and experts warn that it may foreshadow more disruptions if the war drags on.

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