Russian state-run Gazprom said it was still "one digit" away from finalizing a 30-year gas supply deal with China, which is expected to crown Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to China.

Russia has been in talks with China to supply it with 38 billion cubic meters of gas a year for more than a decade but the deal has been postponed repeatedly over price disagreements.

Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller confirmed in an interview on state Rossiya 24 television that the talks were in the final stage and only centered around base price.

"There is just one question - it's ... a starting, base price in the price formula which ... has already been fully agreed upon with our Chinese partners," Miller told news show Vesti on Saturday.

"It's very little more - to put in only one digit ...," said Miller.