In the days preceding the visit of Xi in Tashkent, Russian experts agreed on one thing - China is not left in isolation from Russia in Central Asia competitive struggle which, it should be noted, while developing a common framework of "healthy competition" between the two powers. However, on certain economic areas can already be seen advancing sensitive Beijing Moscow.
To the concern of the latter, one of them was the gas potential of the region's republics. Against the backdrop of stagnating Russian cooperation with Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the question of orientation of their natural gas supplies to the northern direction, China clearly demonstrates a positive trend for yourself. Xi Jinping's visit to Turkmenistan was another gas on a note of triumph China. An agreement was made on the construction of the fourth leg of the pipeline "Central Asia - China." The route of the new branch pipeline will run across four countries (Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Tajikistan - Kyrgyzstan) and an additional 25 billion cubic meters will increase the annual supply the Chinese market.
Expressed in the Turkmen capital statement left no doubt that the Chinese leader's visit to Uzbekistan on 8-10 September will be a continuation of this triumph. Republic is located on the route of the gas pipeline "Central Asia - China," is ready to participate in the project not only as a transit country, but also its own gas filler pipe. Additional volumes of gas from Uzbekistan, which is focused on the third stage of the pipeline, will bring the total pumping of gas from Central Asia in the second economy in the world and 65 billion cubic meters a year. During his state visit to China, President Islam Karimov in April 2011, an agreement was made on the construction of the third stage of the pipeline "Central Asia - China." Uzbekistan undertook in 2015 to supply China with 10 billion cubic meters. meters of gas.
The figure of 65 billion cubic meters of gas was often mentioned in relation to Xi Jinping's visit to Turkmenistan. How can I safely assume this impressive volume is not only a "balm" to line up the Central Asian republics of the multi-vector. He and conditional "red flag" for the Russian side, and personally for "Gazprom". Russian gas corporation at this stage acquires from the three countries of the region (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) in total volume of 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year. Will there be a given volume at the current level in the future coming years - the big question. Its fuel not only the high standard of these three republics to China to ensure the supply of 65 billion cubic meters, but also a very prosaic factors. In the first place, from the sphere of price formation for the Central Asian "blue fuel". In particular, the Kazakh partners of "Gazprom" note that the delivery of its gas to its northern neighbor, Ashgabat and Tashkent are paid about $ 300 per thousand cubic meters, and Astana - about $ 200. They point to the price distortions in the case of deliveries to Russia and China - the export price per thousand cubic meters of Kazakh gas at the border of China will be a minimum of $ 300.
Moscow believes that more can all agree - and suppliers of gas from Central Asia, and China itself. To do this in between Central Asian tour, Xi Jinping, the Russian energy diplomacy has deployed its resources influence. Arrival of the Chinese leader in St. Petersburg has been used to demonstrate the determination of Moscow and Beijing to bring the project to supply Russian gas to China via the eastern route to its logical end. Moreover, planned for this purpose 38 billion cubic meters per year to be delivered with the lead time. September 5, it was announced that the gas on China from East Siberia will go in 2015.
Yet Russia has more cause for concern than a cause for complacency in connection with the agreement reached with China fixation of previous agreements. By the way, signed with the Chinese corporation CNPC agreement on the basic conditions of supply of gas through the eastern route to "Gazprom" failed to reach a final determination of price parameters of the contract. In view of this, analysts did not consider the Russian-Chinese document of September 5, a breakthrough for "Gazprom". For most of the conditions have been agreed upon for a long time, but the main issue - the price - and remains unresolved.
By objective experts, offering states of Central Asia impressive financial assistance in the form of loans and grants, China has made significant economic progress of their projects in their competition with the Russian. On the example of Uzbekistan symptoms displacement Russia China from the market of the Republic presented clearly enough. Moscow still remembers the leading trading partner of Tashkent ($ 7.63 billion last year), but from year to year in the country feels the pressure of Beijing's investment. Total investments in the Middle Kingdom Uzbek economy exceeded $ 4 billion bulk of Chinese investment is directed to the fuel and energy sector of the Uzbek economy, as well as to the development of the natural resources of the country. The trade turnover of Uzbekistan and China also does not stand still. In addition, China is the largest investor in the Uzbek economy and its second largest trading partner. With such a pace close to the day when the Chinese will take all the first position of reference of Economic Affairs with Tashkent....
World media monitoring
18.09.2013
