【Text by Observer News Network, Xiong Chaoran】 Just as the China-Russia "Siberian Power-2" natural gas pipeline project was finalized, American conservative media Fox News host Jesse Watters hinted and warned that "someone" might blow up this natural gas pipeline, thereby disrupting energy cooperation between China and Russia.
On September 4, local time, Watters stated on a television program that after the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict and unprecedented sanctions launched by the West, Russian President Putin "lost European customers," and is now turning to Asia, describing the "Siberian Power-2" natural gas pipeline as a key element of this strategy. Subsequently, he made a shocking statement.
"Putin is laying a large pipeline to China. The pipeline is expected to be completed in the next decade and will provide 15% of China's energy. The relationship between Russia and China is growing closer. Someone may bomb this pipeline as they bombed the Nord Stream pipeline." Watters said openly in front of the audience. However, he did not specify who exactly wanted to sabotage the project.
For a long time, Watters has been a controversial figure in the American media, having made multiple controversial remarks in the past, including extreme views involving racial discrimination against Chinese people. During the pandemic, he also spread false information about China on Fox News.
Photo of Fox News Host Jesse Watters
"Russia Today" (RT) reported on September 6, local time, that on September 26 to 28, 2022, at least four leaks were found in the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipelines located near Danish waters. As of now, all parties involved in the investigation believe that the pipeline leaks were "deliberate destruction," with the Swedish Security Service finding traces of explosives at the site of the incident.
In February 2023, U.S. senior investigative editor and Pulitzer Prize winner Hersh released an investigation report stating that the leakage of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline was carried out by the U.S. government. According to Hersh, in June 2022, U.S. Navy divers planted explosive devices under the pipeline under the cover of a military exercise to carry out an order issued by former U.S. President Biden. In response, U.S. government agencies denied it urgently.
Afterward, the New York Times and several German media outlets successively cited new information from different sources, with the former accusing a pro-Ukrainian group of being behind the incident, while the latter also claimed that "clues pointed to Ukraine." Multiple reports from Western media have turned the Nord Stream incident into a more complete "Rashomon."
RT pointed out that although the United States denied its involvement, just weeks before the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict, Biden had warned: "If Russia 'invades'... 'Nord Stream 2' will no longer exist, we will end it."
On August 26, local time, the UN Security Council held an open session on the latest developments of the Nord Stream pipeline explosion at Russia's request. China's permanent representative to the UN, Geng Shuang, emphasized that the truth should not be concealed, investigations should not be politicized, similar incidents should not happen again, and those responsible should not go unpunished. The international community needs an explanation regarding the Nord Stream pipeline explosion.
Leakage of the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline in September 2022. Visual China
On September 2, Alexei Miller, CEO of Gazprom, announced that Russia and China had signed a memorandum on the construction of the "Siberian Power-2" natural gas pipeline. After the pipeline is built, Russia will transport up to 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to China via Mongolia for a period of 30 years.
Bloomberg mentioned that Miller stated that the price of natural gas would be lower than what Gazprom currently charges its European customers. Miller also mentioned that within the framework of Russian President Putin's visit to China, Gazprom signed a commercial agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation, agreeing to increase the annual capacity of the "Siberian Power" gas pipeline from 38 billion cubic meters to 44 billion cubic meters, and to increase the annual capacity of the "Far East" pipeline from 10 billion cubic meters to 12 billion cubic meters.
Reuters quoted experts on September 2, saying that this cooperation dynamic between China and Russia highlights that despite repeated requests from the West for China to reduce deep cooperation with Russia, China has ignored such demands.
Michal Meidan, head of China Energy Research at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, stated: "The announcement of related news about the 'Siberian Power-2' project is a major turning point in the field of energy geopolitics. It sends a clear message: China no longer cares about Western opinions, and China is not alone."
Earlier reports indicated that the third production line of the Arctic LNG-2 project planned by Russia is expected to use technology provided by China. The report suggests that this also shows that China is capable of withstanding pressure from the West and refusing to isolate Russia.
Workers welding joints during the inauguration ceremony of the first section of the "Siberian Power" natural gas pipeline. RIA Novosti
According to a report by The Washington Post, after losing the high-profit European gas market, Russia has shifted its energy exports to China. For many years, Gazprom has been striving to push forward the stalled "Siberian Power-2" pipeline agreement, looking forward to the pipeline replacing "Nord Stream-2". Analysts believe that although key details such as gas pricing, pipeline financing, and construction schedules are yet to be finalized, the progress of the project already shows Beijing's growing influence in its relationship with Moscow.
Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Center for Russia-Eurasia and a China-Russia relations expert, said, "This agreement shows that China is interested in the pipeline and Russia's energy resources, but it is not yet a final deal."
He pointed out that the EU plans to completely stop using Russian energy by 2027. Given that Russian exports to Europe are unlikely to recover, any agreement would be more favorable to China. At the same time, China is accelerating its economic decarbonization and expanding the use of renewable energy, achieving energy independence through energy diversification.
"President Trump promised on his first day in office to establish U.S. energy dominance globally," Bloomberg further reported on September 3, when talking about the agreement among China, Russia, and Mongolia to build the 'Siberian Power-2' natural gas pipeline. "But seven months later, this goal faces a threat."
The report cited expert analysis stating that China is the world's largest natural gas importer and is demonstrating its economic and geopolitical influence, "which will completely disrupt the global market." Experts pointed out that the U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry and its financial transaction structure are expected to be affected, as China is sending a signal that it no longer needs U.S. LNG.
At a regular press conference on September 2, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiajun responded to related questions, stating that China and Russia have always conducted practical cooperation in various fields, including energy, based on mutual respect and win-win principles. "Regarding the specific projects you mentioned, I suggest you consult the relevant Chinese authorities."
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