China's gas imports up 17% in January-May

China's natural gas imports, via pipeline and as LNG, totaled 54.27mn tonnes from January to May, marking a 17.4% year/year increase, according to data released by the customs department on June 7.

In May alone, imports reached 11.33mn tonnes, indicating sustained growth in gas imports.

The surge in natural gas imports is attributed to softer global LNG prices, which have made imports more attractive. Last year, China imported 119.9mn tonnes of natural gas, a 9.9% increase compared with the previous year, as reported by the department in January.