AsiaLNG Terminals

China’s LNG imports jump in May

By LNG Prime Staff
China’s LNG imports jump in May
Sinopec's Qingdao LNG import terminal (Image: Sinopec)

China’s LNG imports continued to rise in May year-on-year on strong demand from the power generation and industrial sectors.

The country imported 7.03 million tonnes of LNG last month, a rise of 36.5 percent year-on-year, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

Imports also increased when compared to April when China received 6.73 million tonnes of LNG.

In the January-May period, China imported 33.22 million tonnes, the data said.

This marked a year-on-year rise of 31 percent when compared to the same period in 2020.

In addition, China’s pipeline gas imports also increased by 26.2 percent to 3.29 million tonnes in May.

These imports rose by 13.1 percent in the January-May period reaching 16.55 million tonnes.

China’s LNG imports hit an all-time high last year rising 11.5 percent when compared to the year before.

The world’s top energy consumer imported 67.13 million tonnes in 2020, cementing its position as the second-largest LNG importer, after Japan.

However, China is expected to overtake Japan as the world’s top LNG importer this year.

Japan received 4.95 million tonnes of LNG last month, down 2.08 million tonnes compared to China’s volumes. In the January-May period, Japan received 33.18 million tonnes, slightly down compared to China’s imports.

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