Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, approved a Russia-China intergovernmental agreement on oil cooperation on July 3. The agreement, which envisions long-term Russian oil supplies to China, was signed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin and Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Qishan in April.

Another package of oil cooperation deals relating to pipeline construction, oil trade and loans that Russia and China inked in February also took effect after the signing of the intergovernmental pact. Both the countries will jointly build and operate a pipeline from the Siberian city of Skovorodino to China's northeastern city of Daqing. The pipeline will supply 15 million tons of crude to China within 20 years and is expected to go into operation in October 20101.

• 1. “Russia's State Duma approves Russia-China oil co-op agreement”, Xinhua, 4 July, 2009, at http://asianenergy.blogspot.com/2009/07/russias-state-duma-approves-russ...