Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Moscow at the start of a four-day visit to attend Russia’s military parade commemorating the anniversary of the end of the second world war, known in Russia as Victory Day.
The Chinese leader’s arrival coincided with Ukrainian drone attacks on the Russian capital.
Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said Russia’s air defence units destroyed at least 14 Ukrainian drones overnight.
The attacks forced most of Moscow’s airports to close and Russia’s national carrier Aeroflot said it was reordering timetables to cope with the disruption.
Xi’s visit, which comes as China is engaged in a trade war with the US and soon after Ukraine has accused China of directly aiding Russia’s invasion, underscores his close relationship with Vladimir Putin.
This will be Xi’s 11th visit to Russia – more than to any other country – since becoming president.
According to the Russian foreign ministry, the trip was “one of the central events in Russian-Chinese relations this year”.
Xi is scheduled to sign a number of cooperation agreements, strengthening China-Russia’s “no limits” friendship.
There will also be discussion of the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, which could transport 50 billion cubic metres of gas per year from Russia to China.
Xi is scheduled to meet with Putin on Thursday and attend the Victory Day parade on Friday.
China’s People’s Liberation Army will send an honour guard to participate in the ceremony in Moscow for the first time since 2015, and for the first time ever will send an honour guard to join in parallel celebrations in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
