China’s imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) reached a record high in 2025, with a total of 9.8 million tons purchased, representing an 18.3% increase from the previous year. According to Chinese customs data, December saw a significant surge in imports, with 1.9 million tons of LNG brought in, marking a 114.6% increase from the 889,482 tons imported in December 2024.
Russia has become a major LNG supplier to China, with October data showing that it overtook Australia to become the country’s second-largest supplier, behind only Qatar. The total gas supplies from Russia to China, including both pipeline and LNG, reached 5.8 billion cubic meters (bcm) in November 2025, a 33% increase from the same month in the previous year.
The growth in Russian LNG imports is part of a broader trend of increasing energy cooperation between China and Russia. Moscow has been seeking to expand its LNG exports via the Arctic corridor, particularly in the face of Western sanctions targeting its energy sector. The surge in gas deliveries also reflects a shift in Russia’s energy exports towards Asia, following a significant reduction in pipeline supplies to the European Union since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.
Russia currently delivers natural gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline, which began operations in 2019 and reached full capacity in December 2024. Plans are also underway to construct the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which will pass through Mongolia. According to President Vladimir Putin, Russian gas deliveries to China could exceed 100 bcm per year, once existing and future pipelines are fully operational.
The increasing reliance on Russian LNG is driven by China’s growing energy needs, as it is one of the world’s largest gas consumers. The expansion of seaborne shipments from projects in the Arctic and the Far East, including Yamal LNG, Arctic LNG 2, and Sakhalin-2, has facilitated the growth in imports. Cargoes are transported primarily via the Northern Sea Route during the summer navigation season and through longer southern routes during the winter months.
The developments in Russia’s LNG exports to China highlight the evolving energy landscape, with countries seeking to diversify their energy sources and supply chains. As the global energy market continues to shift, the partnership between Russia and China is likely to play a significant role in shaping the future of international energy trade.
