China’s Tariffs Hit U.S. Coal, Oil, and LNG Exports

One of President Trump’s first orders of business after his inauguration was to introduce additional tariffs on Chinese imports. Beijing promptly returned the gesture, imposing tariffs on U.S. energy imports. Now it’s time for the aftershock. The effect of this primary tariff exchange was immediate, with Chinese energy traders beginning to redirect cargos of liquefied natural gas to Europe, which has been more than happy to take in any spare LNG as it reels from the first real winter in three years. Crude oil exports from the United…