Last year (2014), after years of negotiation, China signed a gas supply contract with Russia, which is a milestone of Sino-Russian energy cooperation. This contract gives us a chance to review the development of Sino-Russian energy cooperation and relations in the past 15 years. By analysing this long history, we found that today’s achievement is the result of diverse determinants.
It is necessary to understand these elements and consider energy cooperation against the background of economic development, international relations and world governance, so that we can understand how the energy deal was made and what it means to both countries in different aspects.
For both countries, today’s progress is the consequence of internal needs and external pressures. Russia seeks for new market and tries to avoid political and economic risks. China needs strategic reserve and a proper political partner. More importantly, both sides hold the consensus that the energy cooperation could bring effect on political level.
They set an example of how big powers cooperate and how they solve disputes. The high level of political and strategic consensus has played an essential role in this cooperation. This politically-oriented characteristic contributes to today’s breakthrough, however, on the other hand, it could also bring unstable and fragile factors.