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China’s Xi: visit to Russia fits into big picture

Xi Jinping stressed that Russia was undoubtedly his first choice for a state visit after being elected
Chinese President Xi Jinping Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS
Chinese President Xi Jinping
© Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS

MOSCOW, March 21. /TASS/. Chinese President Xi Jinping has said that his visit to Russia makes sense in the grand scheme of things, because the two countries are strategic partners.

"We have chosen Russia for the Chinese leader's first foreign visit. This fits into the bigger picture, because we are the largest neighboring powers and all-round strategic partners," he said during a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Moscow on Tuesday.

Xi noted that relations between Beijing and Moscow " have survived various twists and turns and have become stronger over the years."

"Therefore, Russia was undoubtedly my first choice [for a state visit] after being elected," the Chinese leader stressed.

On March 10, at the first session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC, parliament), Xi was re-elected as president for an unprecedented third five-year term. Russia is the first country the Chinese leader has made a state visit to since being re-elected. In March 2013, Xi’s first state visit after taking office was also to Russia.