Premier Wen Jiabao left Beijing for Moscow yesterday afternoon to begin a three-day visit aimed at seeking further cooperation with Russia on oil and gas projects.

Wen will attend the 13th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian prime ministers, a mechanism comprising three branches: the prime ministers' meeting, cultural cooperation and negotiations on energy resources.

Earlier, Russian Vice-Prime Minister Igor Sechin told reporters that Russia had drafted a plan for an oil pipeline from the Russian town of Skovorodino to the industrial city of Daqing in Northeast China, and that the two sides are discussing the details.