MOSCOW, September 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is to pay a working visit to China on October 12-14, in response to an invitation from the Chinese president, the government press service reported on Tuesday.

"Talks between Russian and Chinese leaders will be held. Vladimir Putin will attend a meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government," the statement said.

During his stay, Putin is also expected to attend a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic ties and the closing ceremony of the "Year of the Russian Language" in China, Xinhua said.

In June, Chinese President Hu Jintao paid an official visit to Russia, where he held talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. During his visit, the Chinese leader invited Putin to continue negotiations in China in October.

Russia and China are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), founded in 2001, together with ex-Soviet Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

The two countries maintain friendly relations, being strategic partners in energetic, military, trade, state defense and investments spheres.

In May, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev met with Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu to discuss bilateral ties and the development of the SCO.

In October 2008, Russia and China reached an agreement to build a Chinese leg of the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean (ESPO) oil pipeline, which is designed to pump up to 1.6 million barrels of crude per day from Siberia to Russia's Far East and then on to energy-hungry China and the Asia-Pacific region. The construction is underway and is expected to be completed by late 2010.