Red China is all for it.
“Red China is all for it.”
Yep. They are thinking long term. Its called a Silk Road. Reading that the project also includes oil & gas pipelines, and taking into account the maps in the articles below, it makes perfect sense. It also totally bypasses the Ukraine where many Russian gas pipelines traverse.
Russia wants to build a trade empire with China. And they want to sell cheap gas to Europe, without going thru Ukraine. Since China will get easy trade access to Europe through this, they are likely to finance a good bit of it.
China gets cheap O&G. Russia gets to sell it to them. The Chinese get to open their markets and flood Europe & Russia with inexpensive Chinese goods. Russia gets access to vast untapped resources in its far east. The two countries get to challenge the world economy. They would both be winners.
Moscow to Beijing in 48 hours by train:
http://www.businessinsider.com/russia-builds-moscow-to-beijing-high-speed-train-2014-12
Opening Chinese markets thru rail:
http://www.salon.com/2014/12/31/go_west_young_han_how_chinas_new_silk_road_threatens_american_imperialism_partner/