Official: Russia is significantly raising energy exports to China

MOSCOW, Oct 16 (PRIME) -- Russia is raising energy exports to China significantly, presidential aide Yury Ushakov told reporters on Monday.

“You are well aware that the energy sector is the driver of our economic cooperation. Sales of Russian hydrocarbons to China is rising significantly. Russia is the biggest oil supplier, the second biggest supplier of pipeline gas, and the third largest supplier of LNG,” he said.

In January–August, trade between Russia and China gained 24.3% to U.S. $141.5 billion, meaning the goal of driving the turnover to $200 billion may be achieved already this year, he said.

At 11.30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Moscow and Beijing are to hold negotiations in China, and a wide range of Russian officials and businessmen will accompany President Vladimir Putin in negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said.

The Russian delegation will comprise Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Economic Development Minister Maxim Reshetnikov, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Central Bank Chairwoman Elvira Nabiullina, deputy prime ministers Alexander Novak and Dmitry Chernyshenko, and Far East and Arctic Development Minister Alexei Chekunkov, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov, presidential aide Maxim Oreshkin, and other officials.

The list of businessmen who will accompany the officials includes Russian Railways CEO Oleg Belozyorov, Sberbank CEO German Gref, VTB Bank CEO Andrei Kostin, Rosatom CEO Alexei Likhachyov, Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller, Novatek CEO Leonid Mikhelson, Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin, VEB.RF CEO Igor Shuvalov, RDIF CEO Kirill Dmitriev, and tycoon Gennady Timchenko, Ushakov said.

The materials that the Russian government had prepared for Putin’s visit to China also said that Putin would also meet with Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh during the visit to discuss the situation in the world and joint natural gas and transportprojects with China.

End