CRI听力:Strengthening Energy Cooperation in One Belt One Road Regions

Experts at this year's forum highlight the role of regional energy infrastructure cooperation in building a more integrated and stable energy market.

Aiming to strengthen the energy cooperation in the countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt, they are calling for stronger effort for regional energy infrastructure interconnection.

Professor Cai Fang, from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, notes the China-proposed initiative is of great significance in enhancing energy security in China and the Asia-Pacific region.

"The One Belt One Road initiative is accordance with China's inland and maritime energy import passage, which will help strengthen the energy ties between China and the countries along the passage. It will also help promote regional integration and eliminate the development gap between nations, and the cradle for extremism and terrorism."

Dr. Patrick Ho with the China Energy Fund Committee believes the Silk Road initiative can bring more opportunities for cooperation in the field among Asian countries.

"By providing both technological and physical assistance to energy infrastructure development in Asian neighboring countries, the One Belt One Road strategy is expected to strengthen the capacity of less-developed countries in Asia to build up affordable access to more energy resources, and thus promote sustainable economic and social development."

A report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences after the forum underscored the necessity of establishing regional energy markets in north-east Asia, central Asia and southeast Asia.

Liu Qiang, Secretary General of the forum, says that an energy trading hub in Caofeidian in north China can contribute to the formation of the northeast Asia market.

"We recommend the construction of northeast Asia's natural gas hub and related infrastructure. China's deep-water port Caofeidian has well-established energy infrastructure, and it is close to several oil fields. If the eastern section of China-Russia natural gas pipeline can be extended to Caofeidian, the port will be connected to the maritime energy channel."

The report also calls for efforts to push forward with the construction of an energy pipeline between China and central Asia, and promotes grid and hydro power cooperation with members of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

For CRI, I'm Qian Shanming.