OREANDA-NEWS. On 27 May 2008 was announced, that the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev has granted an interview to “Xinhua” agency “Renmin Ribao” newspaper and Chinese central television before his official visit to China planned on 23-24 May.

In his answer about prospects for cooperation between Russian and Chinese energy companies in Far East and in Siberia and primarily about Chinese branch-line of the “East Siberia – Pacific Ocean” oil pipeline, the Russian Leader said:

“Russia – Chinese energy cooperation is a very important component of our business relations. We are going to strengthen and to expand it”.

D. Medvedev operated with figures. “The total energy products volume of delivery from Russia to China amounted 0,5 billion USD in 2001, please note that in 2007 the volume exceed 6,7 billion USD. There is a historically high growth. We will develop these relations further on”.

“Regarding the East Siberia – Pacific Ocean oil pipeline and a corresponding branch-line to the People’s Republic of China, we have base agreements on the point at the moment, and a final negotiation are in progress, - the President noted. – We suppose the key issues, the main parameters of the future cooperation to be agreed.”

“But the cooperation will not be limited to prospects of a pipeline construction, a corresponding branch. There is number of projects in Russia under which we effectively cooperate with our Chinese partners. We also keep in view that we’ll have a line of new production units created focused on petroleum production refinery. That is additional profit, additional value, and mutually beneficial projects. I’m talking about a prospect of construction of the oil refineries and a fuel stations network particularly in Chinese territory. All these projects are of special care right now and negotiated between the Russian and the Chinese parties.”

The Russian President has highlighted his confidence in “as a result of all negotiations in progress now, the Russian energy products will occupy an estimable place in the power balance of friendly China”, reported by the press-service of the Russian President.