Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin would visit China on Saturday and Sunday for talks with Vice Premier Wang Qishan.
Liu called the deputy prime minister-level "energy negotiations mechanism" an important step that would help them "jointly plan energy cooperation."
But talks between Russia, with its abundant reserves of oil and gas, and China, with its constant thirst for steady energy supplies, have yielded limited progress so far, largely because the two heavyweights disagree on pricing.
China believes that access to its vast markets should win it a steep discount on fuel prices. Moscow is not prepared to go as low as Beijing wants, and so planned gas pipelines have stalled.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.