A new pipeline to carry natural gas from Turkmenistan to China is expected to top the agenda during talks between the two countries¡¯ presidents in Beijing on Tuesday.

Gurmanguly Berdymukhammedov, president of the central Asian republic, last week declared that his two-day visit would mark ¡°not only a new page in the chronicles of Turkmen/Chinese co-operation, but also a milestone in the fulfilment of Turkmenistan¡¯s entire foreign policy strategy¡±.

Mr Berdymukhammedov¡¯s talks with Hu Jintao, his Chinese counterpart, come as China demand for central Asian gas is increasing. The pipeline from Turkmenistan to China would form the first leg of a wider system also gathering gas from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan where the Chinese are also negotiating supply deals.

Delegations from the US and Russia visited Ashgabat, Turkmenistan¡¯s capital, last week for negotiations about pipelines to lock in supplies of Turkmen gas.

Mr Berdymukhammedov has promised Russia extra gas supplies.

However, he is keeping Turkmenistan¡¯s options open on new markets in China, Europe and Pakistan which could be supplied via a long-stalled pipeline across Afghanistan.