China doubled its import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia in February from a year earlier, undermining China’s proclaimed “neutral” stance in the ongoing Ukraine war. Beijing bought nearly 401,000 tons of Russian LNG last month, Bloomberg reported on March 21, citing data from Chinese customs officials. That volume made up 8 percent of China’s total LNG imports in February. Overall, China imported 12 percent less liquid natural gas last month compared to February 2021, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, China imported a total of 12.67 million tons of crude oil from Russia in the first two months of this year, according to China’s customs data. China’s continued energy purchases from Russia are providing important revenue for Moscow, as its energy sector has become increasingly isolated after being hit with sanctions and other retaliatory moves over its aggression in Ukraine. On March 8, President Joe Biden announced the United States …