China's July thermal coal imports, including lignite, jumped 20% from 20.44 million mt a year ago to 24.42 million mt,

The US will raise the tariff on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports from 25% to 30% on October 1, and raise the current 10% tariff on another $300 billion of Chinese imports to 15% on September 1,

China's crude oil imports from Iran rose 4.7% month on month to 926,119 b/d in July, while the US ranked as the eighth largest crude supplier as shipments surged to a 13-month high of 362,364 b/d,

“This escalation of the U.S.- China trade war is another step in the wrong direction, the consequences of which will be felt by American businesses and families,” said Kyle Isakower, API’s Vice President of Regulatory and Economic Policy. “In addition to the impacts on the U.S. economy and jobs, U.S. energy leadership and global competitiveness are threatened as U.S. natural gas and oil exports continue to serve as targets for retaliation.”

China has announced a 5% tariff on imported US crude oil in retaliation for US President Donald Trump’s recent escalation of the countries’ trade war.

Dubai and China have expressed keenness to enhance cooperation in energy-related areas, especially clean and renewable energy.

Though the share of coal in the China’s total energy mix fell to 59% last year from 68.5% in 2012, overall consumption in 2018 rose 3% from a year earlier to 3.82 billion tonnes,

U.S. energy firms had interests in the South China Sea and Washington was “committed to bolstering the energy security of our partners and allies in the Indo-Pacific region and in ensuring uninterrupted regional oil and gas production for the global market.”U.S. warships have conducted periodic “freedom of navigation” operations in the South China Sea to challenge China’s claim to nearly all of the strategic waterway.

Indonesia exported 30.6 million mt of thermal coal in May, up 6% on the month and up 20% on the year, according to latest customs data.

Chinese financial institutions provided at least $1 billion in “green” financing to coal-related projects in the first half of this year, a review of financial data showed, with fossil fuels still playing a major role in Beijing’s energy strategy.