The Russian president is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart at the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing
FILE PHOTO. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a gala reception in the Kremlin. © Pavel Byrkin; RIA Novosti
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China next week personally, his assistant, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters on Wednesday, noting that preparations for his trip are now in full swing.
The exact dates of Putin’s visit have not yet been released, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted in a press briefing on Wednesday that these dates have been determined and will be published in “a timely manner.” Before traveling to China, the Russian leader will also visit Kyrgyzstan on October 12-13.
Last month, during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Moscow, Putin confirmed that he would be traveling to Beijing on his first foreign trip in 2023.
The Russian president said he was “happy to accept the invitation” from his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, who had invited him to attend the Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing on October 17-18.
According to Hua Chunying, the official representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the third international forum will be dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. President Xi will reportedly participate in the forum’s opening ceremony and deliver a keynote speech, after which he will hold a banquet and bilateral events with forum guests. The event will focus on increasing cooperation between countries within the Belt and Road framework.
Last month, China stated that representatives from some 90 countries, including Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez, will attend the event.
The Belt and Road Initiative was first floated by Xi Jinping in 2013, with its goal being to foster infrastructure development and investment in Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and elsewhere. More than 150 countries and organizations have joined the project.
