China has increased its reliance on Russian LNG with imports rising 3.3% to reach 8.3mn tonnes in 2024, Russian news agency Tass reported on January 20.

Total imports of the super-chilled fuel from Russia cost China $4.99bn, which represents a 3.5% in spending for Beijing. Russia is now China’s third largest supplier as it leapfrogged Malaysia in 2024. Australia and Qatar are China’s top two suppliers of the super-cooled gas.

The increase in LNG trade between the two countries comes as China is ramping up imports of the super-cooled gas. Pipeline gas and LNG imports are being leaned on heavily by Beijing as the country continues its energy transition and replaces coal with gas.

China tops Japan and South Korea as the world’s largest importer of LNG.

Meanwhile, legislation being enacted in Europe is making it more challenging for Russian LNG to be sent to Europe, further driving Russia closer to China.

The EU’s 14^th sanctions package passed in June prohibited the delivery of Russian LNG cargoes to terminals not connected to the EU’s gas network, with Finland’s Gasum among those announcing they would stop Russian LNG purchases.

Additionally, ten EU members have prepared a document calling for the bloc to ban imports of Russian LNG as part of the EU’s 16^th sanction package against Russia, which is expected to be announced in February marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

As well as a rise in LNG imports from Russia, China also purchased more oil in 2024 from its neighbour.

Imports of Russian oil climbed by 1.3% last year to reach 108.47mn tonnes according to the General Administration of Customs of China.

The increased purchase of Russian oil cost China $62.42bn last year, which marked an increase of 2.8% compared to 2023.