China discussing with Gazprom accelerating gas supplies from Russia's Far East - CNPC vice president

ST. PETERSBURG. Nov 1 (Interfax) - China and Gazprom are working on accelerating the launch of Russian gas supplies via the Far Eastern route, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) vice president Xie Jun said during the plenary session at the St. Petersburg International Gas Forum.

"Our company and PJSC Gazprom are striving to build a closer energy partnership, and are systematically accelerating implementation of the gas supply project along the Far Eastern route," Xie Jun said.

As reported, the contract on the Far Eastern route, which Gazprom signed in February 2022, envisages supplying up to 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year to China for at least 25 years. The two countries' respective governments have also signed an intergovernmental agreement that mainly regulates the construction of a cross-border gas pipeline across the Ussuri River.

Gazprom CEO and executive board chairman Alexei Miller in mid-October said that gas supplies to China "along the Far Eastern route will begin no later than 2027".

Russian President Vladimir Putin at one of the meetings in September in turn noted the possibility of accelerating implementation of the project. "Given the good prospects for expanding cooperation with friendly countries, we are considering the possibility of accelerating construction of the Far Eastern route, as well as the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline," he said.