China set to lead in global natural gas imports

Singapore

BEIJING'S crackdown on pollution has put China on track to overtake Japan this year as the world's biggest importer of natural gas, used to replace dirtier coal.

China - already the biggest importer of oil and coal - is the world's third-biggest user of natural gas behind the United States and Russia, but has to import around 40 per cent of its total needs as domestic production can't keep up with demand.