DHAKA: Russian president Vladimir Putin will next week travel to China for a visit expected to see Moscow and Beijing seal a landmark gas agreement.

The Kremlin said on Tuesday, reports The Straits Times.

During the May 20 visit to Shanghai, Putin will oversee the signing of a number of ‘important agreements’ in trade and energy, the Kremlin said without providing further details.

Deputy prime minister Arkady Dvorkovich said last month that Russia and China planned to wrap up a decade of talks on supplies of Russian natural gas before Putin’s China visit.

Russian energy giant Gazprom said separately the contract was expected to be signed in May.

BDST: 1808 HRS, MAY 13, 2014