Exclusive | Russia seeks Chinese support in developing Arctic shipping routes, promising long-term gas supplies in return
- Ambassador to China invites Beijing to help develop ports and other facilities as Russia seeks to boost sea traffic in region
Russia wants to team up with China to build an Arctic shipping route, its ambassador to Beijing has said.
Moscow recently set out an ambitious programme to build new ports and other infrastructure facilities to increase cargo shipments across the Arctic, also known as the Northern Sea Route.
Russian ambassador Andrey Denisov told the South China Morning Post that negotiations over the supply of Russian gas to China through a route known as Power of Siberia Two were at an advanced stage.
“Almost everything has been completed so far but there is only one gap, which is the price,” Denisov said. “Price is the final detail but a crucial one and it’s quite natural in the discussion between seller and buyer – the seller wants the price as high as possible but the buyer wants to pay as little as possible.”
Denisov said the two sides were accelerating the pace of the negotiations and he was optimistic they would reach a deal. “China as a buyer needs gas and a reliable long-term source. Russia is definitely that kind of source,” he said.
Work on Power of Siberia One, also known as the “Eastern Route”, is expected to finish on December 10 and is expected to transfer 38 billion cubic meters of gas to China every year.
