Chinese President Xi Jinping was welcomed by multiple high-ranking Russian officials upon his arrival in Kazan, the capital city of western Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, on Tuesday.
Xi is in the Russian city to attend the 16th BRICS Summit, at the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
At the Kazan International Airport, the Chinese president was warmly greeted by Rustam Minnikhanov, head of Russia's Republic of Tatarstan, prime minister of Tatarstan Alexey Pesoshin, Kazan mayor Ilsur Metshin, and high-ranking officials of Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A group of Russian women presented Xi with local specialties to welcome the Chinese president, who was given a Guard of Honor as he made his way on the red carpet.
Xi is set to attend small- and large-group leaders' meetings and the BRICS Plus leaders' dialogue, and will deliver important speeches. Xi will also have in-depth exchange of views with other state leaders on the current international situation, practical BRICS cooperation, the development of the BRICS mechanism and other important issues of common concern.
Xi's entourage, including Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and director of the General Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister, arrived on the same plane.
The current summit, running from Tuesday to Thursday, is the first to be held after the expansion of the BRICS organization earlier this year.
BRICS is the acronym for an emerging-market cooperative mechanism that initially comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. In January, it expanded its membership to include Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran and Ethiopia.
Xi welcomed by high-ranking Russian officials upon arrival at Kazan airport
Xi welcomed by high-ranking Russian officials upon arrival at Kazan airport
The Russian version of the third season of "The Classic Quotes by Xi Jinping", a multilingual TV series produced by China Media Group (CMG), will be broadcast on major Russian media platforms from Tuesday when the 16th BRICS Summit is set to kick off in Russia's Kazan City.
Focusing on the themes of putting people first, reform and innovation, common prosperity, ecological protection, cultural inheritance, and civilization diversity, the program features quotes from Chinese literary classics used by President Xi in his speeches and articles, allowing audience to understand the connotation of Chinese traditional culture in the new era and its global value.
The program demonstrates Xi's outstanding political wisdom as well as his deep knowledge of history and culture.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the official gazette of the Russian government, Tuesday published an article about the program on its front page, saying it opens a window for Russian people to know more about Xi's thoughts on governance, the secrets of China's successful development, and Chinese people's efforts in striving for modernization.
Nearly 100 mainstream media outlets in Asia, Europe and around the world, including the Big Asia TV channel, the Radio Metro, the St. Petersburg Press, and the Business Kazakhstan, covered the TV program.
The program's poster has also been played on outdoor giant LED screens in Moscow's Central Administrative Okrug since Saturday, drawing the attention of many people.
People from all sectors of Russia have expressed high anticipation for the program, saying it will help them to know more about Chinese leader's political wisdom as well as China's long history and brilliant civilization.
BRICS is an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The upcoming summit, scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday, is the first to be held after the BRICS expansion in January when Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were included into the bloc.
President Xi will attend the summit at the invitation of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.
CMG program "Classic Quotes by Xi Jinping" to air in Russia
