As with other key East Asia LNG importers, global number one China reduced its import volumes year-on-year for the first two months of 2022 amid record high spot LNG prices.

China imported 12.7mn tons for the first two months of 2022, down 10% year-on-year, with the 4.86mn tons that China imported in February well down on both 2020 and 2021 volumes. January 2022’s 7.81mn tons was also down year-on-year, albeit still the second highest monthly figure ever after January 2021’s 8.49mn tons (see chart 1). (CONTINUED - 585 WORDS)