At the 28th World Gas Conference from May 23 to 27, 2022 in Daegu, Korea, Li Yalan, Chairperson of the Board of Beijing Gas Group, officially took office as President of the International Gas Union (IGU) for the 2022-2025 triennium. She is the first Chinese and female president in IGU's history. 

IGU was founded in 1931. It is the most influential non-governmental international organization in the global natural gas industry. The mission of IGU is to promote the technical and economic progress of the gas industry. With a secretariat in London, UK, IGU has more than 150 members worldwide, including governmental departments, associations and corporations of the gas industry, representing over 90% of the natural gas market. The China Gas Society became a full member of IGU in 1986.

In 2017, recommended by the China Gas Society and the China Civil Engineering Society, Chairperson Li Yalan participated in the election of IGU presidency on behalf of China and was successfully elected. According to IGU's constitution, the 29th World Gas Congress will be held in Beijing in 2025. Chairperson Li Yalan's role as IGU's new president can enable Beijing's energy industry to expand its international exchanges and cooperation and allow Beijing to have a greater say in setting international rules for the gas industry.