Russian President Vladimir Putin (center) watches a demonstration of kung fu by monks at the Shaolin Temple in central China's Henan Province. The Russian president, who holds a black belt in judo, arrived at the 1,500-year-old temple for a taste of Buddhism and martial arts. -Xinhua

Russian President Vladimir Putin turned his attention to trade and martial arts yesterday before concluding his two-day visit to China and flying back to Moscow.

In the morning, Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the opening ceremony of a high-level Sino-Russian economic forum, which was viewed as an opportunity for the two countries to discuss detailed trade issues.

In a speech at the forum, Putin highlighted the energy cooperation between Russia and China, saying that Russia has become China's fifth-largest energy supplier.

Putin said Russia will step up energy cooperation with China and increase oil and gas supplies to its neighbor.

China and Russia on Tuesday signed three deals on oil and natural gas cooperation and released a summary of negotiations between the China National Petroleum Corp and Transneft, a Russian pipeline company.

"Transneft and the CNPC are performing a feasibility study on laying a branch oil pipeline to China. If the project can be implemented, which I have no doubt about, it will help improve (Russia's) oil supply to China," Putin said yesterday.

The Russian president also highlighted potential cooperation on a gas pipeline network.

"We are studying different routes for a gas pipeline - one is from western Siberia and another from eastern Siberia," Putin told about 800 participants at the forum.

He expressed the hope that the two countries could further solidify economic ties in the context of their fast-growing trade cooperation, prompting the two countries to expand cooperation in the high-tech, environmental protection, aviation, machinery, transportation, finance, education and services sectors.

The trade volume between China and Russia has been increasing rapidly in recent years. It reached 29.1 billion US dollars in 2005, up 37.1 percent year on year.

Hu said Sino-Russian cooperation in energy and natural resources has great potential.

He said both countries should proceed from a long-term perspective and honor each other's interests in carrying out energy cooperation.

Such mutually beneficial endeavors should boost economic development in both countries while maintaining the stability in the international market, the Chinese president said.

Before leaving China, Putin, who holds a black belt in judo, headed to the Shaolin Temple for a taste of Buddhism and martial arts.

Established some 1,500 years ago in central China's Henan Province, Shaolin is renowned for combining martial arts and Zen Buddhism, which features long meditation sessions to clarify the mind.

Putin arrived in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, in the afternoon. Xu Guangchun, Party secretary of  Henan, and province Governor Li Chengyu met with Putin at the airport.

Xu briefed Putin on local social and economic development and stressed the province's importance as a birthplace of Chinese martial arts.

Putin said, "I'm glad to see Henan and some regions of Russia have developed very good and friendly cooperation, and I hope the province can continue to give full play in the cooperation and make it a significant foundation for the Russia-China ties."