More gas from Russia? China flags new pipeline links amid Iran energy crisis
‘Preparatory work’ on pipeline, believed to be the Power of Siberia 2, included in five-year plan – but analysts say more details are needed
However, some analysts said a completion date remained distant in the absence of public agreement between Beijing and Moscow on certain details.
The draft version of the country’s development blueprint for 2026 to 2030, released last week during the annual session of China’s top legislature, did not elaborate further.
Aleksei Chigadaev, an associate fellow at New Eurasian Strategies Centre, said several issues needed resolving before work on the whole pipeline could kick off, including the exact stakes of Russia’s Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the two state-owned energy giants spearheading the project.
Also, questions remained over who would pay for the construction and what price would be agreed for the gas sent through the pipeline, he added.
“It is a very long, capital-intensive project that will take many years to complete,” Chigadaev said.