Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made clear to Moscow that, for China, the vital thing is the energy irrespective of its origin.
Photo: ITAR-TASS
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China Made Nuclear Power Payment for Future Supplies of Crude
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao closed yesterday the Year of China in Russia, which finalized his official visit to the country. Back to China, the premier carried contracts with Atomstroiexport and Tekhsnabexport for constructing two new units at Tianwan Nuclear Plant worth over ˆ4 billion. But even the meeting with President Putin didn’t help him clarify the prospects for long-term pipeline supplies of crude oil to China.
The agreement for constructing the third and the fourth units at Tianwan Nuclear Plant emerged as the biggest contract sealed in time of the Moscow visit of Wen Jiabao. Although the parties didn't disclose the exact budget of the deal, in Atomstroiexport, they count on at least ˆ4 billion.
The first two units of the nuclear plant cost much less to China, it paid no more than $750 million for each of them. But their launch was delayed for two years and the negotiations with Atomstroiexport about eliminating the defects weren’t easy. But despite all problems, China proved optimistic enough to clinch another construction deal with Atomstroiexport.
The extension of Tianwan contract had been well-expected actually, although the forecast had been that Wen Jiabao would exchange it for other big decisions mostly related to crude oil. But the issue of any other big contracts wasn’t discussed in the Kremlin and in the White House yesterday. As a result, China has no answer whether Russia will ultimately construct a branch of East Siberia-Pacific Ocean Pipeline up to Chinese border. At the same time, Wen Jiabao never declared his country’s readiness to buy the crude oil at prices generating revenues equal to supplies to the West, but exactly such prices are the proposal of top-ranked bureaucrats of Russia.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 07, 2007
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