Putin arrives in Beijing for state visit

Beijing, May 16 : Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing early on Thursday for a two-day state visit.

Putin will hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. He is also slated to travel to the Chinese industrial city of Harbin and visit a Russian-Chinese trade fair there.

It is Putin's first trip abroad since the start of his fifth term in office just over a week ago. While in China he expects to conclude several cooperation agreements, news agency dpa reported.

The choice of Beijing as the first destination is also symbolic, as Russia was the first country Xi visited after taking office for a third term. The two nuclear powers have close economic ties.