ASHGABAT, May 31 (Reuters) - Turkmenistan plans to increase natural gas exports to China to 38 billion cubic metres (bcm) this year from 35 bcm in 2016, Myrat Archayev, chief executive of state gas company Turkmengas, said on Wednesday.

The Central Asian nation plans to maintain supplies to Iran at 7 bcm this year, the same as in 2016, he told reporters.

(Reporting by Marat Gurt; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Alexander Winning) ((olzhas.auyezov@thomsonreuters.com; +7 727 2508 500; Reuters Messaging: olzhas.auyezov.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))