China's Jan-Apr Gas Imports Up 1.5%

China’s gas imports via pipeline and in the form of LNG during the first four months of the year were up 1.5% yr/yr, marking a significant slowdown in growth due to the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on demand.

China imported 32.33mn metric tons of gas during the January-April period, against 31.84mn mt in the same period of last year, customs department data published May 7 showed. In contrast, Chinese gas imports surged 16.4% yr/yr in the first four months of 2019.

In April this year China imported 7.73mn mt of gas, the customs department said without giving a yr/yr comparison.