Among the many options proposed by Russia to expand gas exports to China, the Power of Siberia 2 project is considered the most feasible and practical, according to The Diplomat.
Power of Siberia 2 will add to the existing gas pipeline the Power of Siberia, which carries gas from mines in northeastern Siberia to China.
Notably, the Power of Siberia 2 is expected to pass through Mongolian territory. In fact, the idea of the pipeline began to take shape in August 2020, when the Mongolian government and Russia's Gazprom Group signed a memorandum of understanding to conduct a feasibility study for the project.
In November 2024, within the framework of the forum "RostKI: Russia and China - Cooperating for mutual benefit", Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak mentioned the possibility of building a gas pipeline that could supply 35 billion cubic meters of gas per year to China via Kazakhstan.
He proposed three feasible options: Building a new pipeline through western regions of Kazakhstan; connecting to China's West-Eastern Gas pipeline network; or restoring the existing Central-South pipeline system, which connects Russia with gas mines in Turkmenistan.
Russia estimates that the project will need a total investment of 10 billion USD, with an operation plan in 2029 and maximum capacity in 2034.
Russia also stressed its commitment to continue promoting the Sakhalin - Khabarovsk - Vladivostok gas pipeline projects and Power of Siberia 2.
The Diplomat pointed out that Russia's positive approach clearly reflects Russia's strategic priority in expanding energy exports through all possible channels.
From Kazakhstan's perspective, the country has a relatively large advantage in becoming a transit country between Moscow and Beijing, based on a number of factors.
First, by supporting Russian gas transit, Kazakhstan could ensure cheap gas supplies to the country's western provinces while releasing about 10 billion cubic meters of gas for exports to Europe at higher prices.
Second, in exchange for allowing Russia to use its territory to transport gas, Kazakhstan could receive Moscow's support for the construction of a gas pipeline across the Caspian Sea, a key project to diversify and ensure security for Kazakhstan's own export routes.
However, in early April, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui shared in an interview with Interfax that the gas import project through Kazakhstan was not feasible. Currently, the only pipeline between Kazakhstan and China is overloaded. Building a new pipeline through Kazakhstan would require significant additional costs," he said.
From the Ambassador's speech, it can be seen that China prioritizes the implementation of the Siberian 2 power project. "We have agreed on the implementation of the project. The main issue is now completing the determination of the roadmap. One option is to go through Mongolia, and the other option is not. For us, choosing the route is not as important as receiving gas in a short time" - he said.
The Diplomat pointed out that the ambassador's speech clearly showed that both Russia and China have reached a consensus on the implementation of the Power of Siberia 2 project.
