BEIJING — China imported 3.25 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in March, up 64.2 percent year on year, data from the country’s customs authority showed on April 23.

Total LNG imports in the first three months reached 12.38 million tons, up 59.1 percent year on year, according to the General Administration of Customs.

China surpassed the Republic of Korea to become the world’s second-largest importer of LNG in 2017, according to IHS Markit, a global marketing information company.

China’s imports of natural gas have grown to meet increasing domestic natural gas consumption, which has been primarily driven by environmental policies to replace coal-fired electricity generation.