Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia to become China’s largest oil supplier in 2023, Reuters reported, citing Chinese customs data. According to the report, Russia shipped 107.02 million metric tons of crude oil to China last year, which is the equivalent of 2.14 million barrels per day. The price of Russian crude oil has dropped amid Western sanctions and a Western-imposed price cap, making it more attractive to Chinese buyers. Both penalties were imposed in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. According to the Reuters report, Chinese refiners bypass Western sanctions by usin…