<h1>Oil importer shifts some crude payments to Chinese yuan, raising contract, currency conversion, sanctions compliance and suspension rights issues</h1> A major oil importer has shifted some payments for crude to the Chinese yuan while continuing to make most payments in the supplier's national currency, with earlier reports indicating prior use of the importer's domestic currency. Legally this raises contract interpretation and payment mechanism issues including governing law, currency conversion clauses, force majeure or suspension rights, and compliance with international sanctions and foreign-exchange regulations. The limited current use of yuan suggests modest contractual amendment or bilateral arrangements so far, but could prompt regulatory review and negotiation of settlement terms.