President Xi kicks off state visit to Russia
President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Monday afternoon for a three-day state visit to Russia. A welcoming ceremony was held upon Xi's arrival. The president said the visit would give "new momentum" to bilateral ties.  "I am confident the visit will be fruitful and give new momentum to the healthy and stable development of Chinese-Russian relations," he told journalists, including from Russian state media, on the runway of a Moscow airport, describing the two countries as "good neighbours" and "reliable partners". According to Xinhua News Agency, Xi will have in-depth exchanges of views with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, over bilateral relations and major international and regional issues of common concern during the visit. Xinhua also says President Xi's trip is aimed at facilitating strategic coordination and practical cooperation between the two countries, and injecting fresh impetus into the development of bilateral relations. The two leaders will also discuss Beijing's proposal to stop the fighting in Ukraine. "One way or another, issues raised in (Beijing's) plan for Ukraine will be touched upon during the negotiations. Comprehensive explanations will be given by President Putin" of the Russian position, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters ahead of Xi's arrival. Kyiv, meanwhile, on Monday reiterated calls for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine. In a signed article in Russian newspaper Russian Gazette that was also carried by Xinhua News Agency, President Xi described his visit as "a journey of friendship, cooperation and peace". (Agencies)