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Putin arrives in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping, participation in Olympics opening

The Russian leader will take part in Russian-Chinese talks, have a vis-a-vis meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a working lunch, and later that day, Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the 24th Winter Olympics

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping

© Alexei Druzhinin/Russian Presidential Press and Information Office/TASS

MOSCOW, February 4. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing. This is Putin’s first visit to China since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov, Putin’s visit schedule is planned for one day.

The Russian leader will take part in Russian-Chinese talks, then have a vis-a-vis meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during a working lunch. Later that day, Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the 24th Winter Olympics.

The upcoming talks are expected to cover key issues of bilateral, regional and global agenda. According to Ushakov, after the talks, the sides are expected to sign a hefty package of inter-governmental, inter-agency and commercial documents - about 15 of them - and all of them "will facilitate further development of relations between Russia and China in various areas."

The two leaders also plan to adopt a joint statement on international relations in the new era, as well as global sustainable development, which "will reflect the common views of China and Russia on the most important global issues, including security issues.".

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