China's Xi Jinping to pay visit of peace to Russia to meet Putin

Chinese President Xi Jinping's trip to Russia will be a "visit of peace," an official representative for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Wang Wenbin said, RIA Novosti reports.

"This trip will be a 'visit of peace'. Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, China will take an objective position on it, we will play a constructive role in advancing peace negotiations,” he said.

The Kremlin announced that Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin would meet on March 20-22 in Russia. During the talks, the two leaders will discuss topical issues of further development of bilateral relations.

A number of important bilateral documents are expected to be signed, the Kremlin said. The agenda includes such issues as the development of strategic cooperation, as well as an exchange of views on Russian-Chinese cooperation in the international arena.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the talks between the leaders of Russia and China will be held "on the basis of the principles of non-confrontation and non-targeting of third parties."

"This visit <…> will help promote strategic cooperation and practical interaction between Russia and China, it will create new incentives for the development of relations between the two countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a briefing, TASS reports.

Last week, Xi Jinping was elected President of China for the third time. The visit to Russia will be his first trip abroad since his re-election.

Russian President Vladimir Putin invited Xi Jinping to visit Russia in December 2022. The visit "will demonstrate the strength of the Russian-Chinese ties to the whole world" and "become the main political event of the year in bilateral relations," Putin then said.