China begins building massive pipeline for Russian gas imports

摘要

CHINA OFFICIALLY began construction of a vast pipeline to import hundreds of billions of dollars worth of natural gas from Russia, news agency Interfax reports. The pipeline, called the "Power of Siberia," is the result of a $400 billion, 30- year gas supply deal signed by state-owned Russian energy giant Gazprom and its Chinese counterpart CNPC in May last year. Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev pledged that the 4,000-kilometre pipeline would be completed "on time and in full," with gas deliveries to begin in 2018.