China is rightly dragging its feet on Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 pipeline

The research paper argues that China is justified in its skepticism toward the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project. The author contends that the project would undermine China's energy security by increasing dependence on a single source, create unnecessary capital expenditure due to market oversaturation in the Bohai Economic Rim, and conflict with China's goal to peak carbon emissions by 2030.

• The Power of Siberia 2 pipeline would compromise China's energy security strategy by increasing its reliance on a single supplier. If the project and two other Russian pipelines are completed, they would deliver 98 billion cubic metres of gas annually, meaning one country would provide a third of China's total gas consumption, including LNG.
• The project is economically risky due to high construction costs and potential market oversaturation. China would need to build several hundred kilometres of pipelines to reach the Bohai Economic Rim, an area already served by a mature network including domestic gas from Shaanxi, offshore gas from the Bohai Sea, and LNG imports from Tianjin-Tangshan.
• The pipeline's projected 2030 operational start date coincides with China's target to reach peak carbon emissions, potentially forcing the country to cut emissions elsewhere to offset the 50 billion cubic metres of gas brought annually by the project. Furthermore, the rapid growth of wind and solar power reduces the necessity of gas as a bridge from coal.
• Political risks accompany the project, as Russia has previously restricted Chinese investment on the Russian side of the second pipeline. The author suggests Russia may insist on a "you pay, I deliver" model for Power of Siberia 2, potentially giving Russia leverage over China's balance of power as Beijing manages relations with the European Union.

APA

Yu, A. (2024). China is rightly dragging its feet on Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/china-rightly-dragging-its-feet-russias-power-siberia-2-pipeline

Chicago

Yu, Aiqun. China is rightly dragging its feet on Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. Global Energy Monitor, 2024. https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/china-rightly-dragging-its-feet-russias-power-siberia-2-pipeline.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Yu |first1=Aiqun |title=China is rightly dragging its feet on Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 pipeline |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=29 May 2024 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/china-rightly-dragging-its-feet-russias-power-siberia-2-pipeline |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yu2024china, author = {Yu, Aiqun}, title = {{China is rightly dragging its feet on Russia’s Power of Siberia 2 pipeline}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/research/china-rightly-dragging-its-feet-russias-power-siberia-2-pipeline}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }