Xi Jinping's Washington Visit May Revive $6B US LNG Trade

Chinese leader Xi Jinping is set to arrive in Washington on September 24, 2026, marking the first state visit by a Chinese leader in over ten years. The ceremonial aspects of his visit will be overshadowed by negotiations over energy trade.

The story began in February 2025 when Beijing imposed a 15% tariff on US liquefied natural gas (LNG) as part of its retaliation against American tariffs on Chinese imports. This had an immediate and total effect, with US LNG shipments to China dropping from 64 vessels in 2024 to zero in 2025.

The impact was significant, with Chinese imports of US LNG valued at $6.2 billion in 2021 before the retaliatory measures began. Now, a tentative negotiating framework is reportedly in place for a reciprocal tariff reduction package worth approximately $30 billion across goods from both countries.