Russia Tries to Crack China's Natural Gas Market

Editor's Note: This is the first installment of a two-part series on Russia's attempts to strike a major natural gas supply deal with China.

Oil deals have thus far dominated Russia and China's energy relationship, but now its focus is shifting toward the more complicated sector of natural gas. Russia wants to diversify its energy exports away from Europe — a feat it has already accomplished with oil. Meanwhile, China's demand for natural gas is growing, and Beijing is looking to increase imports from multiple suppliers and via multiple routes.