The agreement was signed in Moscow on October 13, 2014.
It aims to develop Russian-Chinese cooperation in the energy sector and outlines the main conditions for cooperation in natural gas supplies from Russia to China via the ‘eastern’ route, which includes a trans-border gas pipeline across the Amur (Heilongjiang) River between Blagoveshchensk (Russia) and Heihe (China).
The agreement’s conclusion is an essential condition for the contract signed between Russia’s Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation on May 21, 2014, on the purchase and sale of natural gas and its delivery via the ‘eastern’ route to come into force.
The agreement is valid for 40 years. Once its term ends, it will be automatically extended for subsequent five-year periods provided that neither party has notified the other party in writing of its intent to terminate the agreement in due time.