BEIJING, May 15, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/– The 29th World Gas Conference (WGC2025) will be held from May 19 to 23 at the National Convention Center in Beijing, the first to be held in China since its inception in 1931. The conference will feature four key highlights that are worth paying attention to.
F ocus on New Trends in the Natural Gas Industry amid Energy Transition
Energy security and low-carbon transformation have become global issues, and natural gas, with its characteristics of “safety, affordability, and sustainability,” has become a key bridge to a sustainable future. Li Yalan, President of the International Gas Union (IGU), stated that natural gas is the third-largest energy source globally, with an annual consumption of more than 4.1 trillion cubic meters, accounting for about 24% of the energy structure. Natural gas, as a resource-rich, low-carbon, and clean energy, plays a crucial role in ensuring energy security and supporting the energy transition.
This conference, themed “Energising a Sustainable Future,” will address global energy macro-environment and transformation issues, the diversity of regional gas development, prospects for China’s natural gas development, challenges and opportunities for gas infrastructure, as well as market outlooks and investment prospects in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector. These topics will be explored through forums, keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, and high-level dialogues, aiming to discuss new trends in the gas industry during this period of energy transformation.
Against the backdrop of energy transformation, the future of gas is under the spotlight. The conference will also focus on topics such as methane emission control, renewable gases, hydrogen energy, and how the industry can achieve net-zero targets. International and domestic experts will speak at the event, exchanging views and building consensus through their discussions, thereby promoting the gas industry’s contribution to “energising a sustainable future.”
T he Significance of the First World Gas Conference Held in China in Nearly a Century
The World Gas Conference is one of the three flagship events of the International Gas Union (IGU). This year’s conference is the first time it will be held in China since its establishment in 1931. 2025 marks the final year of China’s 14th Five-Year-Plan period, and WGC2025 coincides with this pivotal moment, offering a unique opportunity for global companies to take advantage of the benefits of China’s market development.
Cao Yujun, Chairman of the WGC2025 National Organizing Committee, stated that the World Gas Conference will provide a platform for China’s gas industry to engage deeply with international counterparts, allowing the global gas sector to focus on China and gain a comprehensive understanding of China’s gas industry’s strength, capability, and vitality. This will help enhance the position and influence of China’s gas industry on the global stage. “This grand event will become the best window for observing global energy transition, and will also provide ‘China’s solution’ and ‘global wisdom’ for building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system.”
L eading Global Enterprises Gather in Beijing to Showcase Innovations across the Entire Industry Chain
Over 300 exhibitors from around the world, including ExxonMobil, Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Petronas, QatarEnergy, CNPC, Sinopec, CNOOC, PipeChina, and China Huadian Corporation, will showcase cutting-edge technologies and innovations across the entire gas value chain and related industries at a 50,000-square-meter exhibition area. In addition to comprehensive energy enterprises, the conference will also attract high-end manufacturing, engineering design, and strategic consulting firms from both domestic and international markets. The event is expected to draw more than 30,000 professional visitors.
Cao Yujun emphasized that this World Gas Conference will serve as a window for Chinese gas companies to showcase their achievements in development over the years, while also acting as a bridge of friendship between China and the global energy industry. “On one hand, it encourages China’s energy enterprises to ‘go global’ and invest in international markets, injecting strong momentum into the development of the global energy sector. On the other hand, it attracts global players in the energy industry chain to ‘come to China’ and participate in the wave of China’s economic development.”
A Gathering of Industry Giants to Spark Intellectual Exchange and Present a “ Feast of Ideas “ for the Global Energy Industry
As a flagship event of the International Gas Union, WGC2025 will bring together leading experts and decision-makers in global energy governance, including senior executives from top 50 energy giants such as CNPC, ExxonMobil, Shell, and others. The conference will also feature leaders from nearly 70 countries and regions, international political figures, heads of international organizations, leaders from international financial institutions, technical experts, and academic leaders. Over 3,000 participants will engage in full-session meetings, debates on current affairs, industry insights, technical forums, and other activities, exchanging ideas, sharing cutting-edge green technologies, and best practices in the industry.
The conference will organize more than 80 forums covering topics such as global energy landscape, energy transition, regional gas development, energy and finance, global LNG outlook, and digitalization and technological innovation. These forums will not only help attendees grasp strategic industry trends but also enable them to discover cutting-edge technological innovations. Leading global industry figures will join forces to help achieve win-win cooperation and sustainable development for the global gas industry.
In her welcome speech, Li Yalan stated, “WGC2025 will create a multi-layered, multi-dimensional platform for sharing world energy governance and development experiences. With the most forward-looking industry insights, the most authoritative trend predictions, the deepest professional expertise, and the most influential brand, we will present a world-class ‘feast of ideas’ for the energy industry.”
Source: The WGC2025 National Organizing Committee
