中俄簽署備忘錄建造輸送天然氣體新管道

A few weeks ago the NHK News on-line reported the following:

中ロ 天然ガスの新ルート実現へ覚書調印

11月10日 0時06分

ロシアと中国は、パイプラインを通じてロシア産の天然ガスの輸出を増やすため、すでに建設が始まっているロシア極東からのルートに加えて、新たにシベリアからのルートの実現に向けた覚書に調印し、エネルギー分野での協力強化をアピールしました。

ロシアの政府系ガス会社「ガスプロム」と「ＣＮＰＣ＝中国石油天然ガス」は９日、北京を訪問中のプーチン大統領と習近平国家主席の立ち会いのもと、新たなガスパイプラインの建設計画を進めるとした覚書に調印しました。
この新たなパイプライン計画は、「西ルート」と呼ばれる中ロ間の２本目のルートで、ロシアのアルタイ共和国から中国の新疆ウイグル自治区に向けて建設される予定です。
中ロ両国はことし５月、３０年間で４０００億ドル（日本円で４５兆円余り）に上るガスの輸出契約で合意し、すでにロシア極東から中国・東北地方へ伸びる「東ルート」と呼ばれるパイプラインのロシア国内での建設が始まっています。
両国はこのほかにも、東シベリアの油田の権益を巡って、これまでロシアが制限してきた中国企業の参入を認めることでも基本合意し、ＡＰＥＣ＝アジア太平洋経済協力会議の首脳会議にあわせて、エネルギー協力の強化をアピールしました。

(試譯文)

Russia and China for the purpose of increasing the export of natural gas from Russia through a pipeline, in addition to the existing route from Russia’s Far East that had construction works begun, newly signed a memorandum for the realization of a route from Siberia; and appealed for co-operation reinforcement in the field of energy.

Russian government’s gas company "Gas Prom" and "CNPC: China National Petroleum Corporation" signed a memorandum saying that they would push forward the construction plan of a new gas pipeline in the attendance of President Xi Jinping and President Putin, when the latter was visiting Beijing on the 9^th (November).

This new pipeline plan to be built, the so called the "West route", was the second route between China and Russia that would extend from Russia’s Altai Republic towards China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In this May both China and Russia agreed upon a gas export contract which would amount to 400 billion dollars (more than 45 trillion Japanese Yen) for 30 years. The construction of this pipeline in Russia, the so called "East route" had already begun; it would extend from Russia's Far East to China’s Tohoku district.

Besides, the rights and interests of oil fields in east Siberia were basically agreed upon, and the entry Chinese companies, which Russia had limited it so far, were accepted. Both countries appealed for the reinforcement in energy cooperation between the two countries according to the summit meeting, the APEC: Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Council.

It seems that there is a closer cooperation between Russia and China in the field of energy supply after Russia’s tension with the West erupted in late 2014. I think this also explains why China is so concerned about the security in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.