Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as he began a high-profile two-day state visit just days after US President Donald Trump wrapped up high-stakes deliberations in China.
Putin was received at the airport by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. Mirroring the grand optics of the reception, Russian state news agency TASS reported that Putin had declared bilateral relations to have scaled “a truly unprecedented level” right before touchdown.
Later, Xi welcomed Putin outside the Great Hall of the People, where the two leaders shook hands before walking down a red carpet as a military band played the national anthems of China and Russia.
