UFA, May 14. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin choosing China for his first state visit after his inauguration shows the strong bond between the two countries, China Center director Adil Kaukenov said.
In a conversation with journalists on the sidelines of the 4th Central Asian Conference of the Valdai International Discussion Club, the expert noted that "China is currently one of the key partners for Russia," and the first foreign visit of the Russian president to China after the inauguration fits into this deep partnership narrative.
"We should take into account that not only is Vladimir Vladimirovich going to China on his first visit [after his inauguration], but also that China is inviting him. This shows that a very serious basis for Russian-Chinese cooperation has developed. There is a reason that Chinese politicians keep emphasizing that Russia is a very important partner for China, relations with which have been building for a long time. They understand the value and importance of this cooperation," the expert emphasized.
Putin's May 16-17 visit to China will be his first foreign trip since his re-election as Russian president. According to presidential aide Yury Ushakov, the visit is "a reciprocal move to the first official visit of [Chinese] President Xi Jinping, which was made last year also after the election."
According to diplomatic protocol, the status of state visit is the highest in the ranking of foreign visits.