[CGTN] XU Qinhua：Energy Cooperation Anchors Sino-Russia Bilateral Relation
CGTN发布时间：2021-05-21
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin witnessed the start of the nuclear co-projects Tianwan in Jiangsu province and Xu Dabu in Liaoning province. on May 19 afternoon. Vice Dean of National Academy of Development and Strategy (NADS), director of International Energy and Environment Strategy Studies (CIEESS) of Renmin University of China, professor XU Qinhua was interviewed by the CGTN.
Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant is deemed as the largest economic and technological project between China and Russia. When completed and put into operation, the annual power generation will reach 37.6 billion kilowatt-hours, which equals reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 30.68 million tonnes per year. How's energy cooperation positioned in China-Russia relationship？And the Tianwan project not only taps into clean energy, but sees application of new technologies. How would this project pave way for achieving their green targets？This year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation. The event full of meaning further demonstrates that energy cooperation anchors two countries bilateral relation which is helpful to both country’s energy security, the green development and also the energy transition of the world.
During President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia in June 2019, the two sides proposed that energy cooperation should be all-dimensional. The complementary strengths of the two countries in nuclear can enhance the energy security. Russia has unique technologies in nuclear utilization, especially in the field of nuclear waste disposal. China imports more than 83 million tons of crude oil from Russia, making Russia the second largest source of imports. Russia is also China's largest source of piped natural gas imports, energy trading occupies almost 58% of China’s total imports from Russia. China is the largest energy producer for long time the foreign dependent rate is under 16-19%, though our oil more than 70% and gas 40%, Russia’s energy security focus is its export market. Therefore, nucler power cooperation enhanced respective energy security strengthening the relation.
From energy perspective, nuclear power itself is one of natural resource sorts and has been already popularly used.In 2018, a total of 533 TWh 21% of eletricity generation in Asia was from nuclear power,. Compared with other fossil fuels like coal, nuclear power has the strengths of cheaper and cleaner.Nuclear civil use can be helpful to the green economic recovery and energy transition from high carbon to low carbon for its comparatively less carbon and GHG emission battling the climate change. According to the World Nuclear Association, nuclear energy accounted for only 0.54% of total energy carbon emissions in 2018.
The White Paper titled "Energy in China's New Era," issued by the State Council clearly recognizes that nuclear energy is conducive to green development and belongs to clean energy, " In the direction of green development, China has been vigorously promoting the clean and efficient utilization of fossil energy, prioritizing the development of renewable energy, developing nuclear power in a safe and orderly manner, and raising the proportion of non-fossil energy in the energy supply structure.," the energy white paper also said, " There are complete industrial chains for the manufacturing of clean energy equipment for hydropower, nuclear power, wind power, and solar power. "
China set the goal that by 2030 the carbon intensity reduction will by 60%-65% through the year 2005 and increase the non-fossil fuel ration of 25% in final energy consumption mix from the year 2020 of 15.9% to 2030.The Tianwan units by now have supplied the electricity surpassing almost 260 billion gigawatt which equals the reduction of 80 million tce and the Carbon emission 200 million tonnes.
Just as president Xi Jinping emphasized during the starting ceremony, two countries’ nuclear power cooperation should insist on the orientation of “ Nuclear Safety , Scientific Innovation and Strategic Coordination”, through the bilateral endeavor, can be also followed by as the principle of bilateral relation and the way China’s attitude towards the global energy governance, which should be justice, equity, balance, inclusiveness, openness and shared benefits, will undoubtedly be contributing to the sustainable development of human being.
