Gazprom deal means natural gas set to flow across border

China and Russia signed a framework agreement yesterday that could see a steady flow of natural gas into energy-hungry China from its resource-rich neighbor.

The deal was among a slew of trade and military agreements signed during the visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The deal between Russia's state-run natural gas monopoly, Gazprom, and China National Petroleum Corp calls for the supply of about 70 billion cubic meters of gas a year, but a price had not been set and no contract signed, said Gazprom's Chief Executive Alexei Miller.