China, Russia launch gas pipeline

Xi, Putin witness opening of massive energy project, hailing significance of cooperation

President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin witnessed via video link on Monday the opening ceremony of the China-Russia east-route natural gas pipeline, a landmark project that will transport natural gas from eastern Siberia through Northeast China to Shanghai.

The two presidents, Xi in Beijing and Putin in Sochi, Russia, greeted each other, and Xi expressed gratitude toward the workers building the pipeline.