China is taking risks by delaying construction of Power of Siberia 2.
China is acting arrogantly, seeking discounts on gas from Russia and not signing the final documents for the construction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline.
Professor of the Department of Applied Analysis of International Problems at MGIMO and former intelligence officer Andrei Bezrukov stated this in an interview with RTVI, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"If I were the Chinese, I'd think three times about why they're delaying signing this agreement. After all, any escalation would trigger a tanker war . And since a huge amount of gas enters China through ports, it would certainly be in China's interests to have another pipeline just in case. I don't think they're that immersed in the geopolitical landscape. But I would advise them to do so, because what will happen in 10-15 years is unpredictable," Bezrukov said.
He predicts that China could face both a blockade and sanctions.
"There's the Strait of Hormuz, and then there's the Strait of Malacca. If tensions in Asia escalate further, it won't be a question of the straits, but rather a question of sanctions, a question of access to Australian and Malaysian gas. If I were them, I wouldn't even think about building a pipeline ," Bezrukov said.
China is taking risks by delaying construction of the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline.