China's Q1 Gas Imports Up 1.8%

China’s gas imports via pipeline and in the form of LNG during the first three months of the year were up 1.8% yr/yr, marking a significant slowdown in growth, due to the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on demand.

China imported 24.66mn metric tons of gas in the quarter, against 24.21mn mt in the same period of last year, customs department data published April 14 showed. In contrast, Chinese gas imports surged 17.8% yr/yr in the first quarter of 2019.

In March this year China imported 6.92mn mt of gas, little changed from a year ago.