Russia, China approve energy pacts

Sign four agreements on energy cooperation.

Russia and China sides signed a memorandum of understanding in cooperation on energy market assessment, and an agreement on electricity supply among others during the ongoing 9th China-Russia Energy Negotiators' Meeting in Moscow.

The four documents were aimed at further enhancing energy cooperation between China and Russia. Both sides agreed to start oil and natural gas cooperation following the principle of upstream and downstream integration.

They also agreed to further expand coal and power trade, undertake research on energy reservation and promote the application of renewable energy. They will sign an official inter-governmental protocol on the second phase of the TianWan Nuclear Power Plant and push forward cooperation in space nuclear power.

The China-Russia energy negotiation meetings since 2008 has facilitated bilateral energy cooperation, said the Chinese Foreign Ministry. China will import 15 million metric tons of crude oil from Russia this year.