ST. PETERSBURG, June 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia is ready to supply to China as much natural gas as the country needs, a deputy prime minister told journalists at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday.

"Whatever amounts they ask for, we have the gas," Igor Sechin said in response to a question.

Sechin said in May that Russia would put forward its gas supply proposals during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Russia this month.

Hu is expected to visit when Russia hosts the 2009 summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a regional security bloc that includes Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, in the Urals city of Yekaterinburg on June 15-16.