An oil pipeline linking Russia's far east and northeast China started operating Saturday.

At 11:50 a.m., Yao Wei, general manager of Pipeline Branch of Petro China Co., Ltd. (PBPC), pushed a button in the China-Russia border county of Mohe in Heilongjiang Province, marking the official start of operations after a two-month trial.

PBPC is the operator of the Chinese section of the pipeline.

"The operation of the China-Russia crude oil pipeline is the start of a new phase in China-Russia energy cooperation," Yao said.

He said the pipeline will improve the nation's energy-imports structure and promote economic development.

The 1,000-km-long pipeline will transport 15 million tonnes of crude oil annually from Russia to China from 2011 to 2030.