On Thursday, May 16, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China for a two-day State visit as both countries looked to further deepen the relationship between Moscow and Beijing.
This is Putin's first international visit since the start of his fifth presidential term.
IMAGE: Putin and Xi meet in the Great Hall of People in Beijing. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Guneev/Pool via Reuters
IMAGE: Putin's visit comes almost to the day Mikhail Gorbachev visited Beijing 35 years ago, a few weeks before the massacre at Tiananmen Square. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via Reuters
IMAGE: A fortnight ago, Xi visited France, Hungary and Serbia. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via Reuters
IMAGE: A People's Liberation Army guard of honour for Putin. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via Reuters
IMAGE: Putin and Xi walk past the Russian delegation.
Earlier this week, Putin replaced Sergei Shoigu as Russia's defence minister with Andrei Belousov, a technocrat who served previously as deputy prime minister.
Russia has also commenced what is being described as a second invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Sputnik/Sergei Bobylev/Pool via Reuters
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com