The Chinese LNG market saw a counter-seasonal conundrum in 2018, with domestic gas shortages over the summer fueling robust short-covering demand. At the same time, early preparation, mild weather as well as a weaker economy stemming from the US-China trade tension cooled a strong winter comeback. Fan Shi Yun, S&P Global Platts associate editor covering LNG markets, says that moving forward, China's presence in the spot LNG scene is expected to become the new normal, rather than a surprise factor.