US gas exports bypass trade friction as four LNG ships head to China

Four liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels were sailing to China from the US and expected to arrive in June, according to data from financial firm LSEG, marking the first US LNG cargoes to leave the US and go directly to China during US President Donald Trump's second term in office.

Last week, Trump went to Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. During the trip, Trump told Fox News on May 14 that China wants to buy oil, LNG and other goods from the US.

In years past, China, the world's biggest gas importer, bought lots of LNG from the US, the world's biggest gas producer, consumer and exporter.