Moscow and Beijing may sign contracts on the supply of Russian natural gas to China by mid-2011, a Russian deputy prime minister said.
"We plan to sign a number of contracts by the end of the first half of 2011," Igor Sechin said.
He said Russia is ready to meet China's growing demand for natural gas consumption.
"If we agree on all provisions then the supplies of Russia's natural gas to China will begin in 2015," Sechin said.
China's National Reform and Development Commission said in its report on Sunday that natural gas consumption in the country increased 23.8% in August year-on-year to a record 8.8 billion cubic meters and 21% in January-August 2010 to 69.2 billion cubic meters.
BEIJING, September 27 (RIA Novosti)
