Tashkent begins exporting gas to China
Tashkent
(AsiaNews / Agencies) - To emerge from the economic crisis and escape the
control of Moscow, Uzbekistan has begun exporting natural gas to China. Signed
in August, the agreement was only revealed on September 12 during a visit to
Tashkent by Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Hui Liagyu. Relations
between the two countries were born in June 2010 with the signing of a contract
which provided for the intermediate export of 10 billion cubic meters of gas a
year. Under
the new agreement Uzbekistan will export from 2 to 5 billion cubic meters of
fuel in 2012, increasing to 10 billion in 2013 and stabilizing at about 25
billion in 2016.
The
former Soviet republic is the largest producer and consumer of natural gas in
Central Asia, but its exports are very limited. Of
63 billion cubic meters of material extracted in 2011, the companies exported
only 12 billion. To
date, the main customer is Russia, followed by Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and
Kyrgyzstan.
Exports
will be piped to Beijing through the Central Asia and China pipeline, which
starts from Turkmenistan and reaches the Chinese border through Uzbekistan and
Kazakhstan. It
has an annual capacity of 30 billion cubic meters, but the Chinese authorities
plan to increase the amount up to 55 billion cubic meters by 2015.
The
start of gas exports to China will allow Uzbekistan to diversify exports in the
energy sector and to acquire new customers and counter the economic crisis that
afflicts the country. The
agreement with Beijing allows the ex-Soviet republic to break away from the
orbit of Moscow, which controls its former satellite countries by imposing
prices for the purchase of raw materials and the exclusive rights for export. In
2009 Russia contributed to the severe economic crisis of Turkmenistan reducing
the purchase of gas.
The
advantages for Beijing are countless. By
accessing the Chinese pipeline, Tashkent will force other Asian republics to
make the same choice, introducing a high level of competition in the sector,
with huge savings for China. In
recent years the Asian giant has become one of the main partners in the energy
sector in Central Asia because of its appetite for energy and raw materials to
maintain economic growth. To
counter the hegemony of Moscow, Beijing has contributed to the construction of
a huge pipeline that will connect all the countries of the region, allowing
exports throughout Asia.
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22/03/2022 12:15
