Russia & China Finalize Deal for power of Siberia 2 Gas Pipeline
BEIJING – Russia and China have reached a legally binding agreement for the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which will transit through Mongolia, and the Soyuz Vostok pipeline, according to a statement from Gazprom’s Alexey Miller reported by Bloomberg and Interfax. The deal was solidified during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Currently,Russia supplies gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline,with an annual transport capacity of 38 billion cubic meters. The new “Far East route” is expected to increase Russian annual gas flows to China by an additional 10 billion cubic meters starting in 2027. Power of Siberia 2 is intended to significantly double Russia’s current gas export capacity to China.
The meeting between Putin and Xi underscored the strengthening relationship between the two countries following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Xi Jinping welcomed Putin as an “old friend,” stating that China-Russia relations have “resisted the proof of the changing international circumstances” and serve as “a good example of friendship between neighbors, of global strategic coordination and mutually advantageous cooperation.”
Putin reciprocated the sentiment, thanking Xi for the “hot welcome” and noting that bilateral ties have reached “unprecedented levels.” He added, “Our close communications reflect the strategic nature of the Russian-Chinese ties, which are at an unprecedented level… We have always been together in the past and we will also be in the future.”
The agreement follows trilateral talks involving Putin, Xi, and Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, focusing on unlocking the Power of Siberia 2 project and navigating logistical considerations, including the pipeline’s route through Mongolia.
Xi Jinping also held bilateral meetings with Uzbek President Shavkat mirziyoyev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif earlier in the day.
Reserved reproduction © Copyright Ansa
