Highlights: Second day of Xi-Putin meet: Chinese President Xi arrives at Kremlin for talks with Russian counterpart Putin

Chinese president was welcomed on a red carpet and was greeted in a grand ceremonial hall of the Kremlin by the Putin and a delegation of Russian officials, reported AFP. According to media reports, a military brass band also played the anthems of both the countries. 

China's President Xi Jinping arrived in the Kremlin on Tuesday to begin formal talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported AFP citing Russian media. 

Earlier today, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks at the Russian Government House, reported Russian news agency TASS. "Welcome, dear Mr. Xi Jinping, it is a pleasure to meet you. Welcome to the Russian Government House", said Mishustin, as per TASS. He also went on to congratulate Xi on his re-election as the president of China. 

"And to sincerely thank you for the great personal attention that you pay to the development of friendship and partnership between Russia and China", said the Russian PM. Noting the importance of Xi's first foreign visit after his reelection was to Moscow the Russian PM also said it "demonstrates the unique nature of Russia-China relations, which are entering a new era". 

Following his meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, on Tuesday said that the relations between the two countries were "at the highest level" in their history.

This also comes a day after the Xi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin for nearly five hours at the Kremlin. The two leaders are expected to hold formal talks later today. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Tuesday (March 21) on the second day of a state visit to Moscow.

(Photos: AFP)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Monday in Moscow and said he was convinced that the Russian people will be voting en masse for the Kremlin chief in next year's presidential election. 

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According to Chinese official Xinhua News agency, on Tuesday reported that Xi has invited the Russian president to China this year for the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. 

Chinese president Xi also invited Russian PM to visit China and called for regular meetings between the Chinese premier and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, reported the Chinese media. 

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, on Tuesday said that the two leaders held a "thorough" exchange of views during the informal talks on Monday. 

"There was a very thorough exchange of views, a serious conversation in the informal part", said Peskov and that Xi and Putin also discussed China's peace proposal without providing any further details. 

Earlier today, Chinese President Xi Jinping met Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin during his second day of a state visit to Moscow. Subsequently, Boris Belyakov, a spokesman for the prime minister told Russian news agency TASS, that the Russian PM has accepted the invitation from Chinese president to visit Beijing.

Russian energy giant, Gazprom in a statement on Tuesday amid Chinese president's state visit to Moscow, said that the company has "delivered requested volumes and set a new historical record for daily gas supplies to China". The gas was supplied through the Power of Siberia pipeline. 

Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that two of its Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers made a routine flight over the Sea of Japan.

Reuters reports, citing Russian news agencies, that the defence ministry was quoted as saying the flights were carried out in compliance with international law and were made over neutral waters.

During a meeting on Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin that China would "prioritise" ties with Russia. He also described Beijing and Moscow as "great neighbouring powers" and "strategic partners". 

Xi said Chinese Premier Li Qiang would "continue to prioritise the all-round strategic partnership between China and Russia," adding that: "we are great neighbouring powers and comprehensive strategic partners."

The RIA news agency reports that China's Xi Jinping, who is in Moscow, invited Vladimir Putin to visit China this year. It adds:

The leader of the People’s Republic of China also invited [Russia’s prime minister] Mikhail Mishustin to visit China as soon as possible, [and] called for intensifying the work of intergovernmental mechanisms of the two countries.