China's LNG imports experienced a slump in 2022
Chinese gas demand set to rebound
The Asian giant’s LNG imports slumped last year but look likely to recover in 2023
The end of pandemic lockdowns and Beijing’s renewed emphasis on economic growth will be a welcome stimulus for Chinese gas consumption, which declined last year for the first time in a generation. But demand could still be choppy amid market uncertainties. China’s apparent gas consumption edged down by 1.7pc year-on-year in 2022, to 366.3bn m³, according to the latest official figures. The contraction marked a departure from the previous growth trajectory, as higher global prices and tight pandemic controls depressed domestic demand. At the same time, lower Chinese demand offered relief to Europe as governments from Berlin to London scrambled to secure LNG supplies as an alternative to Russi
Also in this section
10 November 2025
The Russian firm made a significant attempt to expand overseas over the past two decades but is now trying to divest its global operations
10 November 2025
OPEC+ has proven to be astute at bringing back oil production, but mysteries around Chinese buying, missing barrels and oil-on-water have left the group in wait-and-see mode
7 November 2025
The Russian company’s German assets are under Berlin’s management and are exempt from sanctions, for now, but a permanent solution still needs to be found
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
