OREANDA-NEWS. The eastern route of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline is a strategic project for cooperation between China and Russia in the field of energy. This was announced on Tuesday during a briefing by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China Geng Shuang, commenting on the announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping will take part in the opening ceremony.

"The Sino-Russian eastern route was agreed by the leaders of the two states. This is an important strategic project in the field of energy cooperation, and it is very important for both countries. This December it will be put into operation, in connection with which a ceremony will be held", said diplomat. On Monday, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said that Putin and Xi Jinping will take part in a teleconference in December at the launch of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.

Through the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, gas from East Siberian fields (Chayandinsky in Yakutia and Kovyktinsky in the Irkutsk Region) will be transported both to the domestic Russian market and for export to China. The Eastern Route Agreement with the Chinese CNPC was signed on May 21, 2014, the export capacity of the pipeline is 38 billion cubic meters per year.