CONSTRUCTION OF OIL PIPELINE FROM RUSSIA TO CHINA REMAINS ON AGENDA

MOSCOW, September 24 (RIA Novosti) - The construction of an oil pipeline from Russia to China remains on the agenda, Sergei Tsyplakov, the Russian trade representative in China, told journalists on Friday, while commenting on Russian-Chinese talks on extending trade-economic cooperation underway in Moscow.

"We are saying that we will build an oil pipeline from Russia to China," stressed Mr. Tsyplakov.

"The specific route, terms and phases of its construction are in for discussion," he added.

Mr. Tsyplakov noted that besides construction of the oil pipeline, it is planned to increase railroad deliveries of oil to China.

In the representative's words, deliveries of oil to China this year have increased a lot. For seven months they exceeded 6 million tons, whereas for the whole last year, 5 million tons of oil was delivered to China from Russia.

"Russia's share in the overall oil import to China is 8.5%. Russia is in fourth place among countries exporting oil to China," said Mr. Tsyplakov.

The share of Russian crude oil and oil products is almost one third of China's oil import, he added.