*China imported a quarterly record 19.68mn tons of LNG in Q1, up 29% year on year and 650,000 tons higher than the previous record set the preceding quarter (see chart). January saw China take a monthly record 8.49mn tons as it topped Japan as the world’s No.1 importer (MEES, 26 March). China’s record demand was a key factor boosting spot LNG prices to record levels of over $30/mn BTU in January as East Asia as a whole imported record volumes (MEES, 19 March).