China has dialled back on planned fuel price hikes in a bid to "reduce the burden" on drivers, as energy costs surge amid the Iran war.
The local price of petrol has jumped by about 20% since the start of the conflict, which has seen Iran effectively close one of the world's busiest oil shipping channels, the Strait of Hormuz.
Domestic gasoline and diesel prices were initially set to rise by 2,205 yuan (£239; $320) and 2,120 yuan per tonne respectively – but after government adjustments, the increases will be nearly halved to 1,160 yuan and 1,115 yuan, starting Tuesday.
More than 300 million drivers in China depend on fuel-powered cars, with Gulf countries a major source of the country's oil.
Long queues of cars had formed outside petrol stations in multiple Chinese cities over the weekend, with some stations having to post notices that they had run out of fuel.
