Chinese, Russian vice premiers meet to prepare Xi-Putin meeting

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and his Russian counterpart Arkady Dvorkovich agreed to seek stronger energy cooperation in Beijing on Tuesday.

The meeting is part of preparation for talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin during Xi's visit to Moscow in May.

Zhang hailed the important achievement of bilateral energy cooperation, citing substantial progress of large-scale projects in areas such as oil, gas, coal and power.

Calling energy cooperation a key for China-Russia cooperation, Zhang urged more crude oil trade and the construction of the East Route of China-Russia natural gas pipeline, and continue negotiations on the West Route.

Under a bilateral agreement, Russia will export 70 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China every year upon completion of both the East- and West-Route gas pipelines.

Zhang also urged joint exploration of upstream oil and gas and the downstream joint-venture oil refinery in Tianjin, and to expand new cooperation projects in renewable energy, energy equipment and technology.

Dvorkovich said Russia is committed to developing long-term, stable and all-round cooperative ties with China and will facilitate new progress for substantial cooperation in all fields.

The two vice premiers, who co-chair the China-Russia Energy Cooperation Committee, also attended a seminar of bilateral small and medium-sized companies. Endi