China halted purchases of US LNG in March

According to Chinese customs data, US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports to China dropped to zero in March 2025, as Beijing slashed its purchases in response to steep 125% tariffs on American goods. The 70% year-on-year drop in imports in the first quarter of 2025 marked the biggest plunge since November 2022, reflecting a major shift in global energy flows.

As trade tensions bite, China is actively switching to LNG supplies from Indonesia and Qatar to shore up energy security, BloombergNEF analysts report. However, the agency notes that persistently high tariffs will keep US purchases off the table for the foreseeable future.

Experts also highlight the growing share of Russian pipeline gas in China's imports, citing first-quarter data. However, they note that overall energy deliveries remain below last year's levels.

Amid ongoing trade tensions, analysts expect the Chinese government to prioritize domestic energy infrastructure development and to diversify its supplier base.