China stands ready to work together with Russia to deepen strategic collaboration in the energy sector to break new grounds for win-win outcome, said Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang at the seventh China-Russia Energy Business Forum held in Beijing on Tuesday.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the forum, which was read out by Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.
The fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which concluded in late October, has made strategic arrangements for China to expand high-level opening up and boost its strength in the energy sector, presenting new and significant opportunities for energy cooperation between China and Russia, Ding said while addressing the opening ceremony of the forum.
The Chinese vice premier made a three-point proposal on China-Russia energy cooperation.
First, it is essential to enhance bilateral cooperation across the industrial chain to ensure secure and stable operation of cross-border energy channels and facilitate smooth operation of energy trade.
Second, the two sides should strengthen cooperation in energy transition, actively expand application scenarios, and tap into the potential of cooperation in renewable energy and other areas.
And third, it is important to beef up multilateral cooperation to jointly advance implementation of the Global Governance Initiative in the energy sector, and inject greater stability and certainty into the global energy market. Russian President Vladimir Putin also sent a congratulatory message to the forum, which was read out by Igor Sechin, executive secretary of the Commission for Strategic Development of the Fuel and Energy Sector and Environmental Security, and Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft Oil Company.
Sechin and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak also delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.
Following the opening ceremony, Ding met with the high-level Russian delegation attending the forum.
The opening ceremony was attended by about 400 representatives from the relevant departments and enterprises of China and Russia.
China to deepen strategic cooperation with Russia in energy sector: vice premier
