"I am convinced that Russian-Chinese cooperation in the natural gas sphere will become an important bridge of economic cooperation in Asia-Pacific, [while] maintaining all Russia's long-term agreements with European partners," said Valery Yazev, the head of the lower chamber's committee for energy, transport and communications.
He said the signing of the agreement on gas supplies between Russian energy giant Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation was "a breakthrough and long-expected move, which both countries needed."
Under this agreement, Russia is expected to supply 30-40 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from East and West Siberia to energy-hungry China. The sides also discussed the construction of a new gas pipeline across the China's western border.
Yazev added Russia had always viewed China a promising market for gas exports. He said China had consistently posted high economic growth rates (about 9% a year) and wanted to diversify its primary energy resources and their supplies, as the country greatly depended on the turbulent Middle East.
Yazev said China's current gas consumption amounted to 40 billion cu m per year (3% of the country's fuel balance), which pointed to a growing demand for natural gas.
