China is set to lead gas demand growth in Northeast Asia this winter
Muted winter LNG outlook for NE Asia
Seasonal temperatures will prove critical, but the LNG demand prospects for China, Japan and South Korea are currently soft
China is set to lead gas demand growth in Northeast Asia this winter amid signs the region’s biggest economy is bottoming out, although this is unlikely to mean a big jump in LNG imports as the country taps other sources of supply. And at the same time, more nuclear availability is expected to weigh on seasonal demand in Japan and South Korea. Recent green shoots in China’s economy suggest growth is stabilising, which may help domestic gas demand maintain momentum. China’s GDP beat predictions in Q3, with year-on-year growth of 4.9%, lifting growth for the first nine months of 2023 to 5.2%—ahead of Beijing’s official target of c.5%. Chinese gas demand has been strengthening since the spring,
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
