China's LNG imports up 32% in May

Chinese LNG imports in May came in at 6.41mn metric tons, up 31.5% year/year, customs department data published on June 18 showed.

During the first five months of the year, the total imports were 27.54mn metric tons, up 4.3% yr/yr. China’s pipeline gas imports last month were 4.23mn mt, up 2% yr/yr. The cumulative pipeline gas imports during the year were 18.75mn mt, 1.8% yr/yr.

Chinese LNG imports for the full year 2023 are likely to see a small increase, according to Reuters market analyst John Kemp. The import rebound could be smaller than some analysts anticipate because domestic gas production is rising strongly and the country has mostly completed its transition to natural gas for urban residents, Kemp wrote.