"Energy supplies are growing in large volumes and have increased significantly in 2022. And in 2023, there will be another increase, of about 40 percent," Novak said at a meeting with Russian entrepreneurs in Shanghai, quoted by Russian news agencies.
Alexander Novak is accompanying Mikhail Mishustin on a two-day visit to China during which the Russian Prime Minister will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
China last year became Russia's largest energy customer, allowing Moscow, under Western sanctions linked to the offensive in Ukraine, to avoid seeing its gas exports collapse.
Their strategic partnership has been further strengthened in recent months.
At a summit in Moscow in March, Presidents Xi and Vladimir Putin praised their "special" relationship, united against the West.
On this occasion, they had come very close in view of the future construction of a gigantic gas pipeline project, "Siberian Force 2", which should eventually allow Moscow to significantly increase its gas deliveries to China from Siberia to Chinese Xinjiang (northwest).
Well aware of the potential of this infrastructure, Vladimir Putin had described it as "deal of the century".
Russia already supplies gas to Beijing via the important Siberian Force pipeline (which starts from the Russian Far East), and oil, necessary for the energy-intensive Chinese economy.
Alexander Novak also added on Tuesday that Moscow was "in the process of resolving problems with (its) partners", including Beijing, to "deliver (to Russia) the missing technological equipment".
Since the implementation of Western sanctions, the Russian economy has been facing supply shortages, especially with regard to semiconductors, microchips found in a wide range of electronic devices.
© 2023 AFP