"On the issue of territory and disputes over maritime delineation, China does not accept any dispute resolution from a third party and does not accept any dispute resolution forced on China."

The Chinese, through a statement by the Foreign Ministry last Sunday, said the two countries “have overlapping claims for maritime rights and interest.”

The parties addressed further steps in the bilateral strategic partnership in the gas industry, particularly Russian gas exports to China. Among other issues discussed were prospects for cooperation in the field of underground gas storage and power generation in China.

The agreement provides for the entry of ChemChina into the FEPCO equity capital with a stake of 40% and for the proportional financing. The parties intend to conduct joint analysis aimed at the specification of niche markets for FEPCO products based on the capabilities of the partner that enjoys a robust position in the Asia-Pacific markets.

"We are glad that we've managed to maintain our positions on traditional markets, primarily in Europe," Sechin said pointing out to recent agreements with PKN Orlen to increase deliveries to Poland and the Czech Republic.

The claim relates to a U.K. joint venture between the Chinese and a Canadian firm which the Spanish oil producer acquired last year.

Among the major shareholders of Yamal LNG are local gas producer Novatek (50.1%), Total (20%) and CNPC (20%). The Silk Road Fund has become the second Chinese strategic investor in the project, after China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) provided $5 B of investment for Yamal LNG. Under the terms of the agreement, the Silk Road Fund will provide approximately $800 MM for the implementation of the project over the next several years.

Venezuela has borrowed over $50 billion from China under the financing arrangement created by late socialist leader Hugo Chavez in 2007, in which a portion of its crude and fuel sales to the world's second-biggest economy are used to pay down loans.

PetroChina Co., the nation’s biggest producer, said in March it expects oil and gas output to fall the first time in 17 years as it shuts fields that have “no hope” of turning a profit, while Cnooc Ltd. sees output slipping as much as 5.2 percent this year.

Gas demand growth in the Asian nation, which is transforming into a consumer-driven economy, decelerated to about 4 per cent last year — the slowest pace since 1998 — compared with an average growth rate of 15 per cent between 2009 and 2014.