BEIJING (dpa)

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed some 20 deals with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on a visit to Beijing on Tuesday that highlighted the two countries' strong bilateral relations, according to reporting by Chinese news agency Xinhua.

Among them was a legally binding memorandum for the construction of a new gas pipeline through Mongolia to China, announced by Gazprom chief Alexei Miller in Beijing and reported by Russian news agencies.

Miller announced the agreement after a meeting between Putin, Xi and Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh.

The price of gas supplied via the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline would be lower than for Europe, Miller noted, pointing to reduced transport costs.

Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation also signed documents to boost gas deliveries through the existing Power of Siberia pipeline from 38 billion cubic metres per year to 44 billion cubic metres, according to the reports.

The 6,700-kilometre-long Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, including 2,700 kilometres on Russian soil, is due to have a capacity of 50 billion cubic metres per year. The contract is set for 30 years, according to the Russian reports.

The timeline for the construction of the new pipeline remains unclear. Negotiations on the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline have been ongoing for five years, with Moscow and Beijing unable to agree on the price.

Visa-free travel trial for Russians Beijing and Moscow also agreed to a trial of visa-free travel for Russians with valid passports to China, Russia's official TASS news
agency reported.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry official told TASS that the new regulation, which applies to stays of up to 30 days, will be in effect for a trial period of one year. Current rules permit Russians with diplomatic or official documentation to travel to China, and there is a bilateral agreement on visa-free group trips.

The new regulation is to take effect on September 15.

The leaders also signed other cooperation agreements in fields such as energy, aviation, artificial intelligence, and agriculture.

Putin, along with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is due to attend a large-scale military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Beijing on Wednesday.