Vladimir Putin to meet Xi Jinping as Ukraine looms large

The Russian leader has a packed schedule during his two days in China.

His meeting with Xi on Thursday will celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

According to the Kremlin, they will discuss their “overarching partnership and strategic cooperation” and the “most pressing international and regional issues”, and are expected to sign a dozen joint documents, including a joint declaration.

State Space Corporation Roscosmos director general Yury Borisov and Dmitry Shugaev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, will also be part of some of these meetings.

Putin is also expected to meet with Xi’s number two, Premier Li Qiang, later today.

On Friday, Putin will attend two China-Russia business conferences in Harbin, a city that is known both for its rich cultural and historic ties with Russia and an ice festival that is a major tourist draw.

In Harbin, he will also visit a memorial to Soviet soldiers who died during the liberation of the city in 1946.