China stalls US LNG imports as trade tensions mount

China stalls US LNG imports: China hasn’t imported any LNG shipments from the US over the past 60 days — with no US shipments currently heading to the Asian nation, Bloomberg reports, citing Kpler data. The mild winter has led to a sufficient LNG inventory, giving China flexibility in reselling its US LNG to buyers in Europe and Asia.

This has been going on for a while: Chinese imports of US LNG have stalled for their longestperiod in almost two years as trade tensions mount between the two countries. Energy traders have diverted shipments to other buyers to avoid China’s 15% duty on US LNG.

ICYMI- China imposed a 15% duty on US coal and LNG and a 10% duty on oil, farm equipment, and some vehicles on 10 February in response to the US slapping a 10% tariff on Chinese exports earlier this year.