File photo: CGTN

SHANGHAI, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's comprehensive import price index for liquefied natural gas (LNG) dropped last week, according to Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange (SHPGX).

The LNG index, not including tax, came in at 2,596 yuan (about 372 U.S. dollars) per tonne from Feb. 3 to 9, down 16 percent from the previous week.

The index, jointly developed by a monitoring center under the General Administration of Customs and the SHPGX, was launched on Oct. 16, 2019 and is due on a weekly basis to offer a new pricing reference for importers.