10/23/2013, 00.00
CHINA - RUSSIA
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Moscow and Beijing sign 85 billion dollar energy deal

Medvedev is on a state visit to Beijing. The two countries , said Xi Jinping, are " good neighbors and strategic partners in name and in fact ." According to the agreement, the two largest national energy companies will jointly exploit the oil fields of Siberia. Chinese influence in the production of Russian fuel grows.

Beijing ( AsiaNews / Agencies ) - China and Russia signed an agreement overnight for the supply of oil and for the joint exploitation of the reserves in Siberia to the value of 85 billion dollars. During a state visit, the leaders of the two nations stressed "the importance of bilateral strategic relations" for greater cooperation in the energy sector as well as international affairs. The President Xi Jinping added talking to the Russian Prime Minister Medvedev that the two countries are " good neighbors and strategic partners in name and in fact ."

The agreement was signed during an official visit of a Russian representation in Beijing. The Prime Minister of the Kremlin arrived yesterday - and remains today - along with a huge delegation comprising Energy Minister Alexander Novak and major oil and energy company executives.

And the two most important public companies of Russia and China announced that they had reached agreement on the exploitation of oil fields in Siberia. Under the terms of the contract, Moscow will have to cope with growing internal long-term energy demand "along with China ." For this the Russian company Rosneft and China National Petroleum Corp. ( CNPC ) have decided to work together to open up the exploitation of the vast oil fields of Eastern Siberia. Rosneft and CNPC will create a joint venture with a majority or 51 % ,  in the hands of Russian company.

Russia's Rosneft , the largest global oil company , has also decided to increase exports to China by 300 thousand barrels of oil per day for a total value of 270 billion dollars. In addition to this , the two prime ministers have presided over the signing of 21 bilateral trade agreements, all in the field of energy.

Moscow has always been reluctant to allow China to have direct access to its oil fields, but in recent times has shown more flexibility. In June, an agreement was approved according to which the Chinese CNPC will have 20% of AOA Novatek 's Yamal , a project on the production of natural gas in Russia's Arctic region . As recently as a week ago, also , President of OAO Lukoil Holding - the second Russian company for energy production - said in Beijing that " there are no barriers to Chinese investment projects in the energy field in Russia " .

During an online press conference , Medvedev responded to questions posed by members of the Network and moderated by the agency of the Communist Party of China Xinhua . One of the questions concerned the publication of the incomes of Russian political leaders . The premier in Moscow said: "Everyone in Russia knows how much money the President and the Prime Minister earn, their private interests and those of the family . it is a practice used all over the world , nothing special ."

In China, many bloggers and activists are demanding the publication of the income of leadership, but their demands are stamped out with arrests and the shutting down of Internet sites.

 

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