Chinese vice premier: energy cooperation 'priority' in cooperation with Russia

BEIJING -- Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli met with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller on Friday, calling on both countries to continue to put energy cooperation as a priority in bilateral cooperation.

Bilateral cooperation on energy including natural gas has yielded remarkable results, playing a key role in enriching the content of China-Russia cooperation, Zhang told Miller in the meeting held at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing.

Zhang encouraged both countries to put energy cooperation as priority, ensuring the construction of major energy projects including the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline and the Yamal liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The two countries need to forge ahead the west-route natural gas pipeline project, expand cooperation on energy technological equipment and renewable energy so as to promote bilateral energy cooperation to a new level, he said.

Miller said Russia attaches great importance to energy cooperation with China, especially on natural gas.

He said Gazprom is committed to following the consensus reached between Chinese and Russian leaders, carrying out projects have been agreed upon and discussing possible new cooperation.