Xi Jinping Visits Washington to Discuss Reviving LNG Trade

Xi Jinping is scheduled to arrive in Washington this week for talks with President Donald Trump focused on the potential revival of liquefied natural gas trade. Trade in the fuel effectively ceased in February 2025 after Trump initiated an aggressive tariff campaign and Beijing retaliated with punitive levies on United States energy.

Restoring these ties could see China resume imports worth approximately US$6 billion annually, based on existing contracts for 14 million tonnes of LNG per year. While China Gas recently signed a 20-year agreement starting in 2030, a broader deal remains contingent on the scrapping of tariffs.

Potential complications for the negotiations include a US sanctions bill targeting countries that purchase Russian oil and gas, as Russia remains the second-largest LNG supplier for China. For the United States, a successful deal would provide critical long-term commitments for expanding export facilities along the Gulf Coast and the Alaska LNG project.