DUSHANBE, June 16, 2014, Asia-Plus -- A ceremony was held in northwest China to mark the launch of Line C of the Central Asia-China natural gas pipeline, Radio Liberty reported on June 15.

Zhang Peng, an official from the China National Petroleum Corp said at the June 15 ceremony at the Khorgos border crossing that line C would already be carrying some 14 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas to China by this October.

Line C runs from Turkmenistan, the source of the gas, through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to China''s western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and will eventually carry some 25 bcm.

Lines A and B, which started in 2009 and 2010, respectively, run parallel to line C.

Construction of line D is expected to start later this year. 

When all four lines are operational and running at full capacity they will supply China with more than 40 of China''s gas imports.