China's liquefied natural gas imports for April are expected to fall to the lowest level since 2018, with arrivals projected at 3.5 million tons, a 30% decline from the same month last year. Industry data from Kpler and Bloomberg confirm the sharp drop, while a Reuters estimate places April imports at 3.36 million tons, compared with 7.66 million tons in December during the seasonal peak. China has also been re-exporting LNG cargoes, with the total for March hitting an all-time high of 720,000 tons before dropping to just 30,000 this month. Asian imports of liquefied gas dropped 4.3% year-on-year to 21.12 million tons in March, the lowest in seven years, according to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). The war in the Middle East took out a quarter of global LNG capacity, pushing prices significantly higher. As a result, overall Asian imports dropped in March to the lowest in seven years. Despite the price surge, Asian buyers remain willing to pay a premium, outbidding Europe for at least a dozen cargos that were diverted from European to Asian destinations. The GECF noted that "Asia faced the largest decline, with imports hitting a seven-year low for March as the market braced for a tightening supply squeeze, especially significant given that over 80% of the LNG transiting the Strait was destined for Asian markets before the conflict." Philip Mshelbila, head of the GECF, warned that the war's impact on gas demand could become structural if it continues for several months, adding that "If the conflict ended today, the world would recover in six months to a year. But if it lasts six months, those knee-jerk changes we are seeing could become structural."