Vladimir Putin arrives in Beijing for state visit hot on heels of Trump

Key points

• Vladimir Putin has arrived in Beijing for a state visit, four days after Donald Trump left China.
• Putin was greeted by China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, when he landed on Tuesday evening, with an honour guard alongside Chinese youths waving China and Russia’s national flags in a welcome ceremony on the tarmac.
• The Russian leader’s visit to China – his 25th, according to Chinese state media – reflects Beijing’s growing confidence on the world stage as a centre of global diplomatic activity.
• It also underscores the deep relationship between Putin and China’s leader, Xi Jinping.
• The two men have met more than 40 times, far outstripping Xi’s encounters with any western leaders.