Chinese President Xi Jinping invites Putin to visit Beijing this year

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is currently on a visit to Russia, has invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to visit China this year. The invitation was extended ahead of a second round of talks between the two leaders in Moscow, Russian news agencies reported.

"Yesterday I invited President Putin to visit China this year at a time that is convenient for him," Xi said at a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

Xi, during a meeting with Mishustin, described Beijing and Moscow as "great neighbouring powers" and "strategic partners". He said China will "prioritise" ties with Russia.

Xi said Chinese Premier Li Qiang would "continue to prioritise the all-round strategic partnership between China and Russia."

"We are great neighbouring powers and comprehensive strategic partners."

Putin and Xi will be holding theirsecond day of talks on Tuesday. Putin has said that he was open to discussing China's proposals on the Ukraine war.

The meeting will happen even asJapanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is travelling to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine.

Earlier on Monday, Xiand Putin held four and a half hours of talks, and called each other "dear friend." Putin even escortedXito his car after the talks as the cameras clicked the two leaders smiling.

Putinadmitted that he was open to talks on Ukraine. He also praised Beijing's 12-point position paper, which calls for dialogue and respect for all countries' territorial sovereignty.

While China has tried to portray itself as a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict eager to resolve the Ukraine conflict, the West has been sceptical of its position, with Washington saying Beijing's moves could be a "stalling tactic" to help Moscow.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken saidXi's Moscow visit "suggests that China feels no responsibility to hold the president accountable for the atrocities committed to Ukraine."

"And instead of even condemning, it would rather provide diplomatic cover for Russia to continue to commit those great crimes," he added.

The US has accused China of planning to export weapons to Russia, while Beijing has denied all such claims.

(With inputs from agencies)

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