China and the U.S., the world's two largest economies, wield great influence over the oil market and are using it to help plug the supply gap.

China relies heavily on crude oil imports from the Middle East but those supplies are mostly cut off due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

China and the U.S., the world's two largest economies, wield great influence over the oil market and are using it to help plug the supply gap.