Russian leader Vladimir Putin arrives in China to meet Xi Jinping
China this week welcomes representatives of 130 countries for a forum of President Xi's landmark project, the Belt and Road Initiative, that Beijing is using to extend its global influence, AFP reports.
Putin is at the top of the invitation list, with the Russian leader on his first trip to a major global power since the Ukraine invasion threw his regime into international isolation.
His plane landed in China just before 09:30 am, an AFP journalist on the tarmac saw.
He is due to meet Xi for talks on Wednesday, the Kremlin said.
"During the talks, special attention will be paid to international and regional issues," it said, without elaborating.
He is on a mission to strengthen the already strong relationship with his communist neighbour, though Moscow is increasingly the junior partner.
