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Putin invites Xi Jinping to make official visit to Russia in 2017

The two countries leaders will hold a separate meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Goa

Xi Jinping EPA/LINTAO ZHANG / POOL

Xi Jinping

© EPA/LINTAO ZHANG / POOL

MOSCOW, October 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to make an official visit to Russia in 2017, Russia’s presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters on Thursday.

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Russia-China relations are at their best, says Chinese ambassador

"In June 2016, our president visited China, and during the upcoming meeting in India's Goa [due on October 15-16], Vladimir Putin plans to hand over an official invitation to the Chinese leader to visit our country in 2017," Ushakov said, adding that terms of the visit "would be coordinated later through the diplomatic channels."

According to the presidential aide, Putin and Xi will hold a separate meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Goa. The Russian leader's program also envisions one more separate meeting - with South African President Jacob Zuma.

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