Tariffs, imposed by the US under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, as well as retaliatory tariffs imposed by China on US imports, have already harmed the US oil and gas industry, according to testimony Padilla recently gave to the US Trade Representative's Section 301 committee

The re-opening of trade negotiations between the US and China also opens the door for the easing of trade tensions and potential removal of tariffs on a range of commodities including LNG, LPG, soybeans, metals and petrochemicals.

“Imposing tariffs on the remainder of U.S. imports from China will put undue strain on the supply chains of the natural gas and oil industry that enable the delivery of reliable and affordable energy to American families and businesses,” said Dr. Aaron Padilla, API’s Senior Advisor for International Policy.

China imported 1.08 million mt, or 255,065 b/d, of crude oil from Iran in May, down 66.7% from the five-year high of 3.24 million mt in April as the US' sanction waivers for Iranian oil expired on May 2.

Imports from Russia came in at 6.36 million tonnes in May, or 1.50 million barrels per day (bpd), data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

Over January-May, China imported 2.7 million mt of LNG from Malaysia, up 32% year on year, the customs data showed.

Over January-May, China imported 2.7 million mt of LNG from Malaysia, up 32% year on year, the customs data showed.

UK-based research and development company Innovative Physics Ltd (IPL) and China Environmental Protection Company Ltd (CEPC) have signed an agreement on technologies and skills to further improve the safety of nuclear power plants in China and overseas.

Australia supplied over 53% of China’s LNG imports during the first five months of 2019, shipping data in Refinitiv showed, up from around 40% in 2016 when a previous round of new Australian export projects started to ramp up.

Over the last decade Russia and China have significantly increased their energy links, with Russia ramping up supplies of crude and gas, and attracting Chinese investment into major new energy projects.