Official website of the President of Russia

Transcripts   /

Question: Vladimir Vladimirovich please tell us whether you are happy with the beginning of the visit? What do you expect from this visit? What are its priorities?

Vladimir Putin: The Russian delegation is happy with the beginning of the visit. Happy not only with the spirit and the atmosphere which reigns during the talks, but also happy with the results we have already achieved. As a starting point, let me draw your attention to the fact that such a representative Russian delegation has not visited China in a very long time. Our delegation is composed of a thousand people. And this does not include the actors who are going to perform in a theatre today. A thousand people. And they all – I would like to emphasize this – they all are engaged in something concrete. First of all, this bears witness to the fact that Russia and China have achieved a very high level of interaction which leads to further expanding our cooperation.

As you know, 29 different documents have been signed. Of those 29 only one refers to general politics – it is the one I signed with my colleague, the President of the People's Republic of China, Mr Hu Jintao. And I consider it the most important document because it establishes a good political base for further developing our cooperation. All other documents are exclusively practical and designed to help us attain concrete goals, first and foremost in the sphere of the economy. I am confident that all of them will be implemented. There are billion dollar contracts behind them.

Question: Today you signed an agreement concerning gas. For the first time ever, Gazprom will start delivering gas to China. Have the volumes and schedule for the deliveries been determined? And perhaps the most interesting thing would be to know where the gas will come from? From eastern Siberia, southern Siberia, the Shtokmanovskoye deposit?

Vladimir Putin: I wish to draw your attention to the fact that cooperation in the energy sector between the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China is not limited to deliveries of raw energy. Our cooperation includes deliveries of Russian energy equipment. This refers to nuclear energy and the fact that Russia will continue to participate in establishing new nuclear energy capacities for China. This also refers to cooperation in the electricity sector; the corresponding documents were signed today. And, finally, this refers to deliveries of raw energy, both gas and oil. There are agreements concerning developing infrastructure, including both gas and oil pipelines.

Regarding direct deliveries of gas, the partners agreed that it will be done through two routes, both through eastern and western Siberia.

Concerning eastern Siberia, it does not seem to me that there are any problems here. This is the second stage of cooperation in this sector. Deliveries from western Siberia seem to be easier to carry out and faster. To facilitate them we are considering establishing a new pipeline system, provisionally called Altai, through the western border that the Chinese People's Republic shares with the Russian Federation.

We have a clear idea about the volumes that could be delivered to the Chinese People's Republic on both routes. In both cases it is possible to deliver about 30 to 40 billion cubic metres of gas per year. There are sufficient resources in both western and eastern Siberia to do this. Along with this I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Russian party will categorically execute its obligations contained in the agreements we have already reached with both our Asian and our European partners. With regards to the Asian market, we intend to diversify our export opportunities and enter new and sustainable commodity markets.

Question: As we pointed out, you attended a photography exhibition in the Russian Information Centre. You looked at a great deal of photographs. What did you find most impressive? What did you like best of all? And why?

Vladimir Putin: I think that it is a very interesting exhibition, a visual representation of the way Russian-Chinese relations have developed recently. It is an interesting documentary confirmation of the fact that Russia and China are looking to further develop their cooperation and multifaceted relations. As you pointed out, the exhibition concerns cooperation in economics, politics and culture. It also shows us the prospects for development in the military and technological spheres. One photograph which struck my attention depicts one of our most recent areas of cooperation – in the military sector. I found the way a Russian officer carefully fixes equipment on his Chinese colleague both intriguing and suggestive.

Thank you.