China has taken delivery of its first cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s U.S.-sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 project, a move highlighting Moscow’s push to grow energy exports in Asia.

The Arctic Mulan tanker docked Thursday at PipeChina’s Beihai terminal carrying fuel from the blacklisted facility, according to shipping data. The project was sanctioned by Washington last year, and until now its cargoes had only gone into storage or shadow fleet transfers as buyers avoided direct imports.

The timing is significant, coming just days before Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing. For Russia, Arctic LNG 2 is key to plans to triple LNG exports by 2030 and offset the loss of European gas sales.

Analysts say the shipment is more about testing U.S. resolve than meeting Chinese demand, which has been subdued due to higher domestic production and strong pipeline supplies. “This is a political signal rather than a supply necessity,” noted Jan-Eric Fähnrich of Rystad Energy.

Washington now faces a decision on how strictly to enforce its sanctions. The U.S. has pressed India over Russian oil purchases but has so far avoided clamping down on LNG buyers. President Donald Trump recently described his talks with Putin as “extremely productive,” adding weight to speculation about a softer approach.

With the Northern Sea Route open for summer, more Russian LNG carriers are already sailing east. The Arctic Mulan’s arrival may be the first sign of Moscow normalizing sanctioned fuel shipments into Asia.