Putin to pay state visit to China

BEIJING -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China from May 16 to 17, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Tuesday.

This is Putin's first state visit after he was sworn in as Russian president for a new term, Wang Wenbin, another foreign ministry spokesperson, told a regular press briefing.

As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, during the visit, Xi and Putin will exchange views on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of common concern, Wang said.

He added that China will release relevant information on this visit in a timely manner.