Russia and China have today signed a co-operation agreement that will see the delivery of Russian natural gas to China. The gas will be transported to China through the so-called 'eastern route' as part of a 40-year agreement that will see additional co-operation in the engineering, construction and operation of gas pipeline infrastructure.

Meanwhile Russian energy giant Gazprom and China's CNPC have begun consultations on natural gas deliveries via the 'western route' to China. The talks are at the centre of a meeting between the Russian and Chinese prime ministers which will see 40 deals signed between the two countries.