China’s rush for long-term LNG contracts with the US has been triggered by record high spot LNG prices but the deals also reflect pent up demand for uncontracted volumes, attractive pricing offered by suppliers, the benefits of US LNG like destination flexibility and optimism about future demand growth. Receive daily email alerts, subscriber notes & personalize your experience. Register Now The deals come amid signs of cooperation between Beijing and Washington on issues such as trade, climate and energy, and with China effectively becoming the world’s single-largest LNG importer surpassing Japan, even though a wider easing of geopolitical tensions is unlikely. So far this year, at least eight Chinese companies, including state-owned national oil companies, have signed nearly a dozen long-term contracts with overseas suppliers, for a volume of nearly 25 million mt/year, more than half of which were signed in the September-November period when spot LNG prices hit […]