China may have posted a 12% rise in its LNG imports so far this year (MEES, 22 September). But the 4.9mn tons (6.7 bcm of gas) rise in its LNG import volumes actually represents just 37% of the 18.2bcm rise in the country’s gas consumption for 8M 2023 (see chart 1). China’s impact on global LNG markets has been far more muted than might otherwise have been the case were it not for the country posting record figures for both gas output and overland pipeline imports. Whilst China’s overall gas demand and imports have set a series of monthly records in recent months, LNG imports continue to lag those seen in the record year of 2021 (see charts 2 & 3).