BEIJING: Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin will meet next week during a regional summit in Uzbekistan, a Russian diplomat said Wednesday, in what would be the Chinese leader’s first trip abroad since the early days of the pandemic.
"In less than 10 days, our leaders will meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit" in Samarkand, Russian Ambassador to China Andrey Denisov said in comments shared with AFP.
"We are planning a serious, full-fledged meeting between our two leaders and are working on a detailed agenda with our Chinese partners," Denisov said, adding that the leaders "have a lot to talk about both on bilateral issues and international problems".
Beijing’s foreign ministry did not immediately confirm the meeting, with a spokesperson saying at a regular press briefing that "there is no information to provide" on the matter.
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The ministry later said in a statement that "the leaders of China and Russia maintain close exchanges through various means".
The SCO is made up of China, Russia, four central Asian countries Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan India and Pakistan.
It will be holding its next summit on September 15 and 16 in the Uzbek city of Samarkand, a stop on the ancient Silk Road.
Russia has sought to bolster ties with Asian countries, particularly China, since being slapped with unprecedented Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine.