Chinese vice premier meets Gazprom head

China-Russia natural gas cooperation has become more practical, efficient and mutually beneficial, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli said here Friday as he met with Alexei Miller, head of Russian gas giant Gazprom.

Zhang said natural gas is a key area of bilateral energy cooperation. He said both countries' heads of state had helped advance the cooperation to achieve major breakthroughs.

He said as the two countries will continue to develop their strategic partnership, the project of the East Route of the China-Russia natural gas pipeline should be earnestly implemented.

The West Route cooperation should also be accelerated and cooperation should be expanded to the upper-end of the industry, construction and equipment manufacturing, Zhang said.

China and Russia signed an agreement last May on the China-Russia East Route natural gas pipeline. The 30-year contract will see the pipeline providing China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually from 2018.

During Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing last November, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the construction of a second natural gas pipeline between China and Russia, known as the West Route project.

Miller said Russia is willing to continue to cooperate with China in energy sector and tap into the huge potential. Endi