Zhang Xin

(Director, International Department of China National Petroleum Corporation)

Author

Zhang Xin has acted as the Director of the International Department of China National Petroleum Corporation since 2001. Mr. Zhang graduated from Southeast University with a master's degree. He started working in 1970, and is currently a professor-level senior engineer.

Abstract

In September 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the important strategic concept of building a Silk Road Economic Belt during his visit to Kazakhstan, which leads to the deepening of cooperation between China and other countries along this ancient route in various fields. 1. Energy cooperation is of the utmost importance in building the Silk Road Economic Belt. Countries and regions like Russia and central and western Asia are rich in cooperative projects in terms of oil and gas exploration. Over the recent years, remarkable progress has been made regarding oil and gas pipeline construction and other forms of cooperation between the CNPC and local partners in the regions along the Silk Road. The China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline, China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline and China-Russia crude oil pipeline have all been completed and successfully operated.2. Opportunities and challenges are both lying ahead in our endeavor to promote oil and gas exchanges along the Silk Road Economic Belt. East Asia is the energy consumption hub of the world, and China, as a powerhouse of oil and gas consumption and with a bright market prospect, is hoping to enhance energy cooperation with its surrounding countries on the continent. Such countries and regions along the Belt are eager to take the fast train of east Asia's economic development by expanding their energy exports so as to increase national revenue. Given the high complementary advantages between energy-consuming and energy-producing nations, crucial opportunities exist in promoting cooperation; still, we are also faced with various challenges.3. Under the new circumstances of building the Silk Road Economic Belt, we will further expand and deepen cooperation with Central Asia and Russia in constructing oil and gas pipelines. Such construction will be in an effort to build an oil and gas pipeline network as well as overseas oil and gas cooperation zones.