Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak to Visit China for Energy Talks
Alexander Novak, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, is scheduled to travel to China from December 12 to December 16. The trip is confirmed by TASS and follows a directive issued by the Council of Ministers. During the visit, Novak will lead the Russian delegation to participate in the 20th meeting of the intergovernmental commission on energy cooperation between Russia and China. The delegation’s formation and the trip expenses are set to be approved by Novak personally, with funding drawn from the federal budget. This engagement underscores the ongoing efforts by Moscow and Beijing to deepen energy collaboration and align policy approaches in the sector.
At the heart of the discussions will be overarching questions about energy trade and settlement currencies. The intergovernmental commission last convened in a video conference in November, where Novak noted continued moves toward using national currencies for energy transactions between Russia and China. That shift reflects a broader push to diversify settlement mechanisms and reduce reliance on traditional reserve currencies, a theme repeatedly emphasized in high-level exchanges between the two countries.
Earlier in November, a delegation led by Vyacheslav Volodin, the Speaker of the State Duma, visited the People’s Republic of China for official meetings. The visit took place from November 21 to November 23 and followed an invitation extended by Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The discussions at that time focused on bilateral cooperation, legislative coordination, and mechanisms to support ongoing exchanges in political and economic spheres. The recent high-level conduct of Russia and China signals a sustained cadence of diplomatic and economic coordination across sectors.
In related developments, Novak has previously directed efforts to monitor and assess fuel pricing in Russian regions where price stability has presented challenges. The aim of such oversight is to ensure transparent and fair pricing at fuel outlets, contributing to household affordability while maintaining a balanced macroeconomic environment. The current travel schedule and the broader policy context reflect Russia’s continued engagement with China on energy security, supply reliability, and the evolution of payment arrangements in energy markets. The outcomes of these engagements are expected to inform future bilateral initiatives and cooperation in the energy domain, including infrastructure, trade, and regulatory alignment. [Source: TASS]