In a move that hints at shifting alliances and deepening energy ties, China has quietly received its first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from a heavily sanctioned Russian project — just days before a high-stakes summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to vessel-tracking data from Kpler and LSEG, the LNG carrier Arctic Mulan docked at China’s Beihai LNG terminal in Guangxi on Thursday. The cargo originated from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project — a facility that has come under heavy sanctions from the US and European Union following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
This delivery marks a significant moment: it’s the first time that the supercooled gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project has reached a final user since operations began last year. The shipment could serve as a test case — a quiet signal of how far Russia and China are willing to go in their energy cooperation amid global geopolitical tension.
With President Putin set to join over 20 world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin this Sunday and Monday, all eyes are on his expected one-on-one with Xi. The meeting is expected to be more than symbolic — it could cement trade deals and deepen Russia–China relations in the face of Western isolation.
“China and Russia are testing the waters,” noted Anne-Sophie Corbeau, a global energy researcher at Columbia University, in a LinkedIn post. “If this one goes through without any US reaction, that could be a signal for China and other buyers that it’s okay to import from the sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project. India could be next in line — especially if the price is right.”
While terminal operator PipeChina declined to comment, energy analysts believe this delivery could only happen with quiet political approval on both sides.
“It’s unlikely that Russia and China would proceed without some form of assurance that these cargo deliveries won’t trigger sanctions against the terminal operator or provoke further consequences,” said Siamak Adibi, director at consultancy FGE.
The Arctic LNG 2 project, once fully operational, is expected to become Russia’s largest LNG production site, capable of producing up to 19.8 million metric tons of LNG annually. Lifting sanctions, experts say, could release up to 12 million tons per year into the global market — offering potential relief to an energy-hungry world.
But for now, the Arctic Mulan floats off China’s coast — a quiet but potent symbol of new energy routes and old alliances, redrawn under the weight of shifting global power.
