Despite U.S. pressure to avoid undermining sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, China intends to ink a multibillion-dollar deal to purchase Russian gas during a visit by President Vladimir Putin.
Washington appealed to Beijing to avoid making deals with Russia, though American officials acknowledge the energy needs of China.
Negotiations that started over 10 years ago stalled over price. Moscow, isolated over its role in Ukraine, is pressured to make concessions in return for an political and economic boost.
A deputy Chinese foreign minister, Cheng Guoping, said, "We are still exchanging views with Moscow and we will try our best to ensure that this contract can be signed and witnessed by the two presidents during President Putin's visit to China.”
Putin's visit to China is probably to highlight the diverging fortunes of the two powers. China is on track to overtake the U.S. as the world's largets economy in the next 10 years and is assertive in political relations with its neighbors. Russia's economy is reeling from its conflict with the West over Ukraine's shift toward the European Union, which inflamed Moscow's insecurities about declining influence.
Washington appealed to Beijing to avoid making deals with Russia, though American officials acknowledge the energy needs of China.
Negotiations that started over 10 years ago stalled over price. Moscow, isolated over its role in Ukraine, is pressured to make concessions in return for an political and economic boost.
A deputy Chinese foreign minister, Cheng Guoping, said, "We are still exchanging views with Moscow and we will try our best to ensure that this contract can be signed and witnessed by the two presidents during President Putin's visit to China.”
Putin's visit to China is probably to highlight the diverging fortunes of the two powers. China is on track to overtake the U.S. as the world's largets economy in the next 10 years and is assertive in political relations with its neighbors. Russia's economy is reeling from its conflict with the West over Ukraine's shift toward the European Union, which inflamed Moscow's insecurities about declining influence.