Letter from China: Australia’s LNG dominance under threat
Beijing may be planning to break its reliance on its Antipodean supplier
LNG stands out as one of the few commodities left relatively unscathed by the deterioration of China-Australia relations over the past few years. But Beijing is taking steps that could erode Australian dominance of Chinese gas imports in the long term. The tension between Beijing and Canberra has already cost Australia its dominant market share in China for goods including barley, beef, wine and coal—all commodities for which China has easily been able to find alternative sources. Australian LNG has been harder to substitute, given the binding, multibillion-dollar long-term contracts signed between state-owned Chinese buyers and Australian export projects, and also the fuel’s importance to e

Also in this section
1 April 2025
There is method to the US president’s apparent madness, and those seeking to understand need look no further than their local bookshop
1 April 2025
Strong economic growth targets are encouraging for the country’s energy demand growth, even if meeting those goals might be a tall order
28 March 2025
The Central Asian country is positioning itself as a low-carbon leader, but antiquated infrastructure and a dependence on Russia are holding it back
28 March 2025
MCEDD 2025 took place in Madrid this week with record attendance and a wide-ranging programme, reflecting the deepwater sector’s renewed momentum, strategic focus and accelerating technological innovation.