DUSHANBE, August 12, 2008, Asia-Plus - Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov on Friday proposed that China increase gas purchases to 40 billion cubic meters per year from the currently agreed 30 bcm through a planned pipeline, The Moscow Times reported citing Turkmen media.

The link, being built by China, Turkmenistan and its Central Asian neighbors, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, will have total annual capacity of 40 bcm. Kazakhstan has said it will reserve 10 bcm for its own needs.

Berdymukhammedov, in Beijing for the Olympics opening ceremony, met Jiang Jiemin, chief executive of Chinese state oil and gas firm CNPC on Friday, Turkmenistan''s state news agency reported. "Berdymukhammedov has offered the Chinese partners to consider buying 10 bcm per year in addition to the agreed 30 bcm," the report said.

Turkmenistan currently sells most of its gas, about 50 bcm per year, to Gazprom, and analysts have questioned its ability to boost exports significantly.