BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- China is likely to become the world's largest natural gas importer by 2019 on domestic short supply. Its natural gas imports are expected to reach 171 billion cubic meters by 2023, most of which are Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).
Keisuke Sadamori, head of market and security department in International Energy Agency made such forecast in a speech at the news conference of the release of market report 2018 for natural gas, which was jointly sponsored by International Energy Agency (IEA) and Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange (SHPGX).
Shanghai Securities Journal quoted Zhang Yuqing, former deputy director with the National Energy Administration as saying that in recent years, gas demand has been growing rapidly in emerging markets, with China and India becoming the fastest growing countries for natural gas, especially LNG. Last year, China surpassed South Korea to become the second largest importer of LNG after Japan.
"The Chinese government has clearly proposed to cultivate natural gas into the main energy source of China's modern energy system. In the future, it will accelerate the adjustment of energy structure, and build a clean, low-carbon and efficient energy system, Zhang said.
The Report shows that China and emerging Asian markets are promoting global natural gas consumption growth. Due to continuous economic growth and strong policy support for air pollution control, gas consumption in China is likely to contribute 37 percent to global gas consumption rise between 2017 and 2023, surpassing any other country in the world. (Edited by Ma Xin, maxin11@xinhua.org)
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