*China’s LNG imports soared by 19% to a record 79.9mn tons for 2021, comfortably usurping Japan as the world’s top LNG importer in the process. Every month last year saw a record for the respective month with the year bookended by the two highest figures on record: 8.49mn tons for January and 7.63mn tons for December.

*Though other key Asian buyers such as global number three South Korea and number five Taiwan also saw volumes rise to new records for 2021 (MEES, 14 January), it is this massive rise in imports from China that has above all else boosted overall global imports and with them spot prices (MEES, 21 January) to record highs. (CONTINUED - 319 WORDS)