By Riyaz ul Khaliq
ISTANBUL (AA) – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to visit China.
Xi, who is on an official visit to Russia since Monday until Wednesday, said he invited Putin for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation later this year.
Putin last visited China when Beijing hosted Olympic Games in February last year, days ahead of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
The two sides held wide ranging deliberations including on bilateral, regional and international issues.
On the Ukraine issue, Xi told Putin that “voices for peace and rationality” were “building.”
The 69-year-old Chinese leader also called on Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and his Chinese counterpart to hold “continuous regular meetings,” according to Chinese daily Global Times.
Mishustin met Xi early on Thursday, when the Chinese president also invited the Russian premier to visit China.
