Sept. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter, will boost crude shipments to China by 25 percent in 2009 to benefit from rising energy demand in the fastest- growing major economy, President Hugo Chavez said.

Crude sales will rise to 500,000 barrels a day from an estimated 400,000 barrels by the end of this year, Chavez, who is visiting China, told reporters in Beijing today. The Latin American country currently exports more than 300,000 barrels a day to China, he said.

Chavez, who is in China this week on a tour that includes Russia and Cuba, has sought closer ties with U.S. rivals. Earlier this month, Chavez expelled the U.S. ambassador to Caracas and signed an agreement with Russia's OAO Gazprom on offshore projects. China, the world's second-biggest oil user, needs fuel as its economy grows at a double-digit pace.

``Venezuela is one of the few countries, along with Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran, whose oil reserves allow them to take up enormous commitments around the world,'' Chavez said.

The Latin American country plans to export 1 million barrels of crude to China within three to four years, he said.

Venezuelan oil reserves will rise to 300 billion barrels next year from about 200 billion barrels now, Chavez said. China and Venezuela will increase the size of a joint fund to $12 billion from $6 billion, he said, without giving details.

Venezuela won't suspend crude exports to the U.S. on increased supplies to China, Chavez said.

China and Venezuela yesterday signed 12 agreements on cooperation in energy, finance, education and communications.

Chavez reached an agreement with the Chinese government to purchase ``some'' planes for training and combat, Spanish news agency EFE reported yesterday.

Chavez said he would buy 24 combat planes from China several weeks ago, the news agency said. Venezuela has had to turn to allies in China and Russia to renovate their aircraft after a U.S. arms blockade, EFE said, citing Chavez.

The planes will be ready for delivery next year, Chavez told reporters in Beijing today.

To contact the reporter on this story: Wang Ying in Beijing at wang30@bloomberg.net;

Last Updated: September 25, 2008 06:27 EDT