Beijing, Moscow Remain in Close Contact Over Potential Putin Visit in 2020 - Ambassador

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2020) Officials in Beijing and Moscow remain in close contact over Russian President Vladimir Putin's potential visit to China, which was initially scheduled to place in the coming fall, the Chinese ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told Sputnik in an interview.

"The Chinese side welcomes President Putin's visit to China and both sides maintain communication on this issue," the ambassador said.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping have held four telephone conversations to discuss the ongoing cooperation between the two countries. Zhang added that the close contact between the two leaders is a sign of the strong strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing.

"Russia is China's most important strategic partner, and the priority area of Chinese diplomacy is relations with Russia. Interaction between the leaders of the two countries is a strategic guideline and the central driver of Chinese-Russian relations," the ambassador said.

Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov said in May that Putin's plans to visit Beijing this coming fall have not been canceled despite the ongoing health crisis. President Xi conducted an official state visit to Russia in June 2019.