China is continuing to increase its monthly LNG imports, boosted by high demand from the power generation and industrial sectors.
The world’s largest energy consumer imported 6.65 million tonnes of LNG last month, a rise of 12.7 percent year-on-year, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.
In addition, imports rose compared to July when China received 5.67 million tonnes of LNG.
During the January-August period, China imported 51.81 million tonnes of the fuel, the data said.
This is about 0.47 million tonnes more LNG than Japan imported in the same period this year. Also, China’s January-August imports rose 23.3 percent year-on-year.
China’s pipeline gas imports also increased by 11.3 percent to 3.79 million tonnes in August.
These imports rose by 20.1 percent in the January-August period reaching about 27.50 million tonnes.
China’s LNG imports hit an all-time high last year rising 11.5 percent when compared to the year before.
The country imported 67.13 million tonnes in 2020, cementing its position as the second-largest LNG importer, after Japan.
Boosted by strong demand, China is expected to overtake Japan as the world’s top LNG importer this year.