The Russian energy supplier Gazprom is confident that the Russian-Chinese natural gas pipeline Sila Sibiria will be put into operation next year. China suggests that the project could not have been the last of its kind.

Russian natural gas supplies to China via the new Sila Sibiria pipeline could begin next year. This was announced by Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom on Thursday. The Gazprom representative is confident that China will also continue to rely on the so-called Western route, another pipeline project with Russia, to satisfy its energy starvation. Moscow wants to continue its negotiations with Beijing.

The Sila Sibiria natural gas pipeline represents the largest joint economic project between Russia and China. The two countries had previously negotiated more than a decade on the implementation of the agreement.

As a result of the steadily growing energy cooperation, Russia is becoming the main supplier of natural gas to China. Both countries are now planning to build another pipeline under the name of Sila Sibiria 2.