Putin: Russia, China reach new level of energy cooperation

BOCHAROV RUCHEI, Sochi, Dec 2 (PRIME) -- Russia and China will reach a new level of energy cooperation with the launch of the Sila Sibiri gas pipeline, President Vladimir Putin said during the opening ceremony of the facility on Monday.

Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping are launching the Sila Sibiri pipeline through a video conference to deliver gas from production centers in the Irkutsk Region and the republic of Yakutia to the consumers in Russia’s Far East and in China.

“We celebrate the 70th anniversary of (Russia–China) diplomatic relations this year. And this year we begin supplies of Russian pipeline gas to China. This step shifts strategic energy cooperation between Russia and China to a brand new level, and moves us nearer to a bilateral trade turnover of U.S. $200 billion, the goal set to 2024 together with China’s President Xi Jinping,” Putin said.

Xi said that safety and sustainability of the pipeline are the top priorities.

Gazprom and China’s CNPC signed a contract on supplies via the Sila Sibiri pipeline, or the eastern route, in 2014. Gazprom plans to provide China with 38 billion cubic meters of gas per year over 30 years through the pipeline. The company will start supplies via the pipeline with 5 billion cubic meters, and the facility will reach its full capacity in several years.

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