Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived in Beijing, the capital of China. This is the Russian head of state's first foreign visit since his re-election and taking office.Mr. Putin is in China as part of a state visit. According to diplomatic protocol, the state visit status is the highest in the hierarchy of foreign visits. According to Yuri Ushakov, adviser to the president on international affairs, China was not chosen by chance for the head of state's first foreign trip, because it was a response to a gesture of similar friendship from Chinese leader Xi Jinping last year.The visit to China will take place in two stages. The Russian president will visit Beijing and Harbin.In Beijing, he will meet his counterpart Xi Jinping. Leaders will conduct small and large committee negotiations and informal one-on-one discussions.The bilateral talks are expected to focus on the development and expansion of trade and economic cooperation. During this meeting, Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping will also discuss the most pressing political and regional issues. However, according to Mr. Ushakov, the most important part of the Beijing meeting will take place in an informal setting, behind closed doors. The leaders of the two countries will have a discussion in the 'one plus four' format on the situation in Ukraine.The second stop of the state visit to China is a visit to the city of Harbin, the administrative center of Heilongjiang province. Putin will attend the opening ceremony of the 8th Russian-Chinese Exhibition and the 4th Russian-Chinese Forum on Interregional Cooperation, and meet with students and teachers of Harbin Polytechnic University.Source: Burkina Information Agency