BEIJING — China imported 3.39 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in April, up 56.5 percent year-on-year, data from the country’s customs authority showed.

Total LNG imports in the first four months reached 15.75 million tons, up 58.3 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 consumption, which has been primarily driven by environmental policies to replace coal-fired electricity generation.