Effect of Trump-Xi Meeting: 4 US LNG Ships Head to China, Chinese Tankers Exit Persian Gulf
Following the "Trump-Xi meeting," four US liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers are en route to China, marking the first such shipment of Trump's second term. This is seen as a sign of thawing US-China relations, although China still imposes a 25% tariff on US LNG. Concurrently, two Chinese supertankers carrying a total of 4 million barrels of crude oil, which were stranded for over two months in the Strait of Hormuz due to the "US-Iran War," were freed on the 20th and will return to Guangdong and Fujian in early June.
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- 📰 Published: May 20, 2026 at 17:28
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 17:32 (4 min after Published)
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(CNA, Taipei, May 20) According to foreign media reports and maritime information, following the "Trump-Xi meeting," four U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers are heading to China and are expected to arrive at the Port of Tianjin in the second half of June. This marks the first time U.S. LNG has been directly shipped to China since Donald Trump returned as U.S. president. At the same time, two Chinese supertankers, carrying a total of 4 million barrels of Middle Eastern crude oil, finally sailed out of the Strait of Hormuz today after being stranded in the area for over two months. Having officially escaped the Persian Gulf, they are set to arrive at Maoming's Shuidong Port in Guangdong and Quanzhou Port in Fujian in early June. According to reports from Reuters, HK01, and other media, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) data shows that four LNG carriers departed from the ports of two major petrochemical plants in Louisiana, USA, from early to mid-May, and are scheduled to arrive at the Port of Tianjin between June 15 and 28. The reports noted that this is the first batch of U.S. LNG products shipped to China during Donald Trump's second presidential term. During his visit to China last week, Trump told U.S. media in Beijing that China had agreed to and wanted to buy U.S. oil, LNG, and other commodities. However, China currently still imposes a 25% tariff on U.S. LNG. On the other hand, also according to LSEG and other related information, the Chinese-flagged oil tanker "Yuan Gui Yang," chartered by Unipec, a subsidiary of Sinopec, had been stranded in the Strait of Hormuz for over two months. The vessel had loaded 2 million barrels of crude oil and departed from Iraq on February 27, the day before the US-Iran war broke out. The tanker finally sailed from the strait today and is expected to arrive at Maoming's Shuidong Port in Guangdong on June 4. Another tanker, the "Oceanic Lily," belonging to China's Sinochem Group and flying the Hong Kong flag, also departed for China from Iraq and Qatar at the end of February, carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil from each. It was also trapped in the Strait of Hormuz for over two months due to the US-Iran war. This vessel also left the strait today and is expected to arrive at Quanzhou Port in Fujian on June 5. (Editors: Chiu Kuo-chiang / Chen Kai-yu) 1150520