China’s LNG imports surge in October

Data from the General Administration of Customs shows that the country received 6.55 million tonnes last month, up 28 percent year-on-year.

The data shows that during January-October, China imported 63.55 million tonnes of LNG, a rise of 13.2 percent year over year.

This also compares to 64.50 million tonnes China imported during January-October in 2021, which was a record year for China’s LNG imports with 78.93 million tonnes.

Natural gas imports, including pipeline gas, reached about 10.54 million tonnes last month, rising 20 percent compared to 8.79 million tonnes in October 2023.

China’s pipeline imports rose 10.3 percent year-on-year in October to 3.99 million tonnes.

GECF said in its October report that China’s LNG imports increased due to stronger gas demand from the electricity and transportation sectors, along with pre-winter restocking.

According to GECF, LNG imports in the Asia Pacific region rose to 24.28 Mt in October, marking an 18 percent year-on-year increase.

The year-on-year growth in China’s October LNG imports was the highest since May this year.

September LNG imports rose by 21.7 percent to 6.84 million tonnes.

China’s LNG imports rose 12.6 percent in 2023, and the country overtook Japan as the world’s largest LNG importer.

The country received about 71.32 million tonnes in the January-December period last year.

China will most likely remain the world’s largest LNG importer this year.

During January-September this year, China imported about 7.9 million tonnes more than Japan.