Free Republic

China and Russia on Tuesday pledged to expand energy cooperation in projects of oil and gas supply, nuclear energy and renewable energy. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich co-chaired the tenth meeting of China-Russia energy cooperation committee in Beijing, which agreed to advance cooperation in a number of energy sectors. Noting that energy cooperation is a key area of China-Russia cooperation, Zhang said he hoped to advance discussion on existing projects and find new sectors for cooperation through the committee's effort. "China is willing to expand all-around energy cooperation with Russia. We hope the...

President Xi Jinping will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin for the second time in six months and the two are likely to discuss cooperation in large-scale projects, a senior Chinese diplomat said. "Xi is scheduled to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and their talks may focus on cooperating on ‘mega projects' between China and Russia and on further strategic coordination at international and regional levels," Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui said in an interview before Xi's arrival in St. Petersburg on Wednesday for the G20 summit. The two are expected to exchange views on proposed US strikes...

A major business deal in which Rosneft would deliver Russian oil to China for the next 25 years was announced at last week's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. President Vladimir Putin set the value of the deal at $60 billion, while Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin put it at $270 billion, apparently multiplying the $100-per-barrel figure by the total number of barrels to be delivered to China under the agreement. But the real question is: How advantageous is this contract for Russia over the long-term? Rosneft has now become a powerful player in the energy market, acting as the de facto...

CHITA, June 19 (RAPSI) – Two Russian men face a possible death sentence after they were detained by Chinese customs officers for smuggling bear paws, a Foreign Ministry representative said. Customs officers found 213 bear paws worth an estimated value of 2.8m yuan ($460,000) hidden inside the tires of a vehicle crossing from Russia into China in Manzhuoli, Inner Mongolia, on May 22, the Chinese Global Times newspaper reported. The seizure is the largest bear paw smuggling operation uncovered in China to date, the paper said. Bear parts are considered a delicacy in China and are also prized for their...

DEBKAfile’s Washington sources report that the Obama administration is on the threshold of a major rapprochement with Tehran, a reversal of US policy dramatic enough to block out international sanctions. Iran will be allowed to keep its nuclear program, including military elements and enriched uranium stocks, up to the point of actually assembling a weapon. [..] The US president is willing to ditch Israel as a friend. This will be brought home to Jerusalem when he makes his big speech on April 7 appealing for a grand US-Muslim global reconciliation. The US president is preparing to tie a Palestinian-Israeli settlement...

Russia has pledged to almost double its annual oil shipments to China and to expand the two countries' cooperation on gas and space projects. The agremeents came in a joint communique signed in the Chinese capital by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov at the end of talks Friday, the Xinhua news agency said. The two sides have agreed to almost double Russia's annual oil shipments to China by rail to 15 million tons in 2006, according to the communique. Russia delivered 5.8 million tons of crude by rail to China last year and the amount...