Chinese firms have recently inked major US LNG supply deals
China embraces US LNG
Rising imports and fresh supply deals signal China’s growing interest in US supplies of the fuel
Chinese LNG importers have warmed to US cargoes this year, embracing the relative price stability of the Henry Hub in contrast with the wild gyrations of the Asian spot market, industry executives and researchers say. China imported 7.04mn t of US LNG between January and October, making the US the country’s second-largest source after Australia and equivalent to 11pc of imports for period, according to Chinese customs data. This compares with imports of 3.21mn t from the US last year and just 267,692t in 2019. “Our clients have gradually realised that US long-term contracts are more stable in terms of pricing,” says Maggie Jia, chief China officer at US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy’s Beijing
Also in this section
19 January 2026
Newfound optimism is emerging that a dormant exploration frontier could become a strategic energy play and—whisper it quietly—Europe’s next offshore opportunity
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
