Russian President Vladimir Putin will officially visit China on May 16 and 17 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in what will be his first work trip since he took office his fifth six-year termas reported by the Kremlin shortly after it was announced from Beijing.

“At the invitation of the President of China, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin will travel to China on May 16 and 17 on a state visit as his first trip abroad after taking office,” the Russian Presidency has indicated.

According to the Kremlin, “the leaders of Russia and China will discuss in detail the entire range of issues of their comprehensive partnership and strategic interaction, “They will define the key directions of the future development of Russian-Chinese practical cooperation and exchange views on the most important international and regional problems.”

“As a result of the talks, the signing of a joint declaration of the heads of state and a series of bilateral documents is planned,” the Russian president’s office added.

In addition, both will participate in an event commemorating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.

The Russian president will also have a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang “in which issues of bilateral cooperation in trade, economy and humanitarian affairs are expected to be discussed”, after which he will travel to Harbin, where he will participate in the opening ceremony of a Russian-Chinese exhibition and a cooperation forum interregional.

Putin had announced in April that he would travel to China this May, information that the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed this Tuesday. Putin’s arrival also occurs after the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, asked Beijing, Moscow’s close ally, at the end of April, that “does not help Russia” and that it does not supply it with components that could be used in its war against Ukraine.

The Asian giant has denied that he has sold weapons to Russia and assures that it maintains a “normal” commercial relationship with Moscow. However, US officials have warned in recent weeks that Chinese companies are helping the Russian arms industry by selling equipment that could be used for the production of ballistic missiles.

In February 2022, shortly before the start of the war in Ukraine, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Putin proclaimed in Beijing lto “friendship without limits” between their nations. Since then, they have defended that their ties “do not threaten any country” and that, in reality, they “advance the multipolarization of the world.”