China Halts LNG Imports from the U.S. Amid Trade Dispute

China has stopped importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States for the past 40 days, marking the most prolonged pause since June 2023, Orda reports, citing Bloomberg.

Traders have been redirecting U.S. LNG shipments to other destinations to avoid the 15% tariffs imposed by Beijing on February 10. The measure was retaliation for the Trump administration’s decision to levy 10% tariffs on all Chinese goods.

China is also ramping up domestic gas production to reduce reliance on imports. Additionally, demand for seaborne LNG has declined due to cheaper alternatives, including renewable energy, coal, and Russian pipeline gas, Bloomberg notes.

Meanwhile, Russian gas producer Novatek has reportedly offered Indian buyers discounted LNG, claiming that U.S. sanctions on Russian LNG could soon be lifted, leading to a price surge next year.

However, Bloomberg points out that there are no guarantees Trump will ease restrictions on Russia. Neither Novatek, Arctic LNG-2, nor the White House responded to Bloomberg’s inquiries.