 "Russian President Vladimir Putin with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. File image/Reuters")
As Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held bilateral engagements in Beijing following the SCO summit, Russia’s state-owned gas giant Gazprom PJSC signed an agreement to construct the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline to China via Mongolia, Interfax reported, citing CEO Alexey Miller during his visit.
Russia currently supplies natural gas to China through the existing Power of Siberia pipeline, which has a design capacity of 38 billion cubic metres annually. Gazprom has also agreed to boost flows through this route by an additional 6 billion cubic metres per year, reports said.
From 2027, another route — known as the Far Eastern link — is expected to add at least 10 billion cubic metres annually, with flows projected to exceed the original plan, according to reports.
By sealing the Power of Siberia 2 deal, Moscow is seeking to consolidate its position as a key gas supplier to China and offset reduced European demand following the war in Ukraine.
The agreement came as Putin praised Moscow’s ties with Beijing as being at an “unprecedentedly high level” during his first formal talks with Xi at the Great Hall of the People.
The meeting highlighted the growing solidarity between the two leaders — with Putin resisting Western pressure over the Ukraine war and Xi positioning China as a rising force in global governance amid the disruption caused by US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsRecalling the Soviet Union’s wartime alliance with China, Putin spoke of “the memory of the brotherhood in arms, trust, mutual support, and firmness in defending common interests” as the foundation of their partnership “in the new era.”
“We were always together then, and we remain together now,” Putin told Xi as their talks began.