Today is the second day of talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. After the dialogue, the two presidents are expected to hold a joint press conference, followed by a state dinner at the Kremlin.

Prior to the visit, Xi penned an article for RIA Novosti and Rossiyskaya Gazeta, where he stressed that his upcoming trip to Russia would be aimed at strengthening peace and friendship between the two countries. He expressed his willingness to work on new plans to cultivate bilateral ties together with President Putin.

The first stage of the talks between Putin and Xi ended late on March 20 at around 21:00, having lasted for about four and a half hours. The Russian president highlighted the success of the Chinese economy, while Xi praised Putin’s leadership and expressed certainty that the Russian people would continue to support him.