Xi Jinping invites Vladimir Putin to China as the two leaders project unity in Moscow
- Chinese president extends invitation to Russian counterpart for the third Belt and Road Forum, to be held later this year
- Xi also says China is ready to expand trade and investment and cooperate more fully with Russia
Xi held a second round of talks with the Russian president on Tuesday, discussing international and bilateral issues, Xinhua and Russia’s Sputnik news agency reported.
Earlier in the day, Xi told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that he had extended the invitation to Putin and outlined the new areas of enhanced cooperation, without going into detail.
The trip would be the first visit to China by Putin since the start of the Beijing Olympics in February 2022; Russia invaded Ukraine three weeks later. The current trip is the 40th meeting between the two leaders.
“For years, our relationship has withstood the challenge of turbulent times,” Xi told Mishustin in his televised remarks.
“I invited President Putin to visit China this year. This year, we have a third Belt and Road Forum. We have already held two such forums, and President Putin attended both. The Belt and Road [Initiative] is an important area of cooperation for China and Russia.”