“They are not easy, Chinese comrades” – Kommersant FM

Russian President Vladimir Putin completed his visit to China. Among other things, the parties expressed confidence that the Power of Siberia-2 pipeline project from Russia to China is at a promising stage. Previously, many Western publications have repeatedly hinted that Beijing is deliberately delaying the start of work. Moscow denies all this. Kommersant FM political commentator Dmitry Drize notes that there is still little specificity surrounding the pipeline.

According to Vladimir Putin, they talked with Xi Jinping for three hours. The conversation was very informative; bilateral cooperation was discussed both politically and economically. An interesting and at the same time pressing issue that worries many is the construction of the Power of Siberia – 2 pipeline system.

We are talking about expanding gas supplies from Russia to China. According to the Russian head of state, the project is moving at a good pace. There are different options, all this is discussed in a constructive manner. The President of the People’s Republic of China said the same thing when answering a corresponding question.

For his part, the head of Gazprom, Alexey Miller, said that gas supplies to the Celestial Empire will soon replace European volumes. In other words, we are not afraid of your sanctions, everything is fine with us. Our Russian budget will not be left without income, have no doubt.

But enemy voices do not cease. In particular, they promote the thesis that Chairman Xi is delaying approval of the above-mentioned “Power of Siberia-2”. And without it, it will not be easy to completely replace Europe; there will not be enough capacity.

The general meaning is this: the Chinese leader does not want to get hooked on the Russian gas needle and become dependent on a friend and strategic partner. Therefore, he is considering all sorts of alternative options, including from the countries of Central Asia and even from America. In Moscow, all this is angrily rejected. Nothing can overshadow our cooperation.

But here is another big visit of the Russian president to China, and there is still no complete clarity around this megaproject. The parties express the hope that development is moving at a good pace – take it as you wish. What is a good pace? And where is he going to go?

Okay, let’s say, Comrade Xi will say, yes, there will be construction, we’ll start tomorrow. Laying a pipeline, and even through difficult terrain, is not a cheap undertaking. And this takes a lot of time. When will all this pay off? And who will be the main investor? There is no clear answer to this.

But even this is not the main thing. They are not simple, Chinese comrades. Friendship is friendship, but they don’t want to become dependent. This unpleasant word “diversification” is heard all the time and overshadows the holiday. Moreover, many different so-called observers keep repeating and repeating that we, Russia, also should not become dependent on our great friend.

And this is how you look at the rest – those who replaced the alien Europe – are also not a gift. Let’s say, India buys gas from us for its rupees, but strives to sell liquid goods for dollars. How could we not end up remembering our former Western partners with kind words?

However, every day it begins to seem more and more that our separation from them is at least protracted. And, apparently, for a long time. If not forever. But this is not a reason to shed tears. Our path is correct. This is what we should proceed from.

---

Everything is clear with us – Telegram channel “Kommersant FM”.