Putin's plane touched down in Beijing shortly after 11 p.m. local time. He was welcomed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, an honor guard, and flag-waving youths.
Before the trip, Putin said in a recorded speech that the relationship between Russia and China had reached an "unprecedented level."
According to the Kremlin, the two-day state visit is expected to focus on economic cooperation between the countries, but also on "key international and regional issues."
The visit coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship. The fact that the trip comes just days after President Trump's visit is a pure coincidence, according to Kremlin advisor Yuri Ushakov.
