Russia, China seeking new opportunities for energy deals
BEIJING. Oct 11 (Interfax-China) - Russia and China keep looking intensively for new opportunities for cooperation between their energy industries, a source in the Russian delegation to the latest session of what is known as "the Russian-Chinese energy dialogue" told reporters.
The dialogue is a deputy prime minister-level process. Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin represents Russia and Vice Premier Wang Qishan China in it.
At the session, which has ended in Beijing, "the two sides expressed satisfaction with progress made in the construction of an offshoot to China from the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean [ESPO] oil pipeline," the source said.
The Russian side told the Chinese delegation that work had started at a new oilfield in order to supply enough oil for the pipeline, he said.
"The two sides exchanged 'road maps' for future cooperation between the Russian and Chinese natural gas industries," the source said.
They also discussed a draft agreement on natural gas that is due to be signed between Russia's Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) on Tuesday during a planned visit to Beijing by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Russia and China are also boosting cooperation in the coal industry, which is expected to reach the $1 billion mark in 2009, the source said.
He said Sechin planned to visit one of China's largest plants for the manufacture of gasoline and diesel via the liquefaction of coal. The plant is situated in the autonomous region of Inner Mongolia. After Sechin's visit, the two countries are to consider setting up a joint venture to build a similar facility in Russia.
The session agenda also included relations between the Russian and Chinese nuclear industries. The source said the two nations are still in talks on Russia's participation in the construction of the second unit of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu.
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