Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China on Tuesday to meet his "dear friend" Xi Jinping and bolster their relationship at a summit overshadowed by the Israel-Hamas war.
China this week welcomes representatives of 130 countries for a forum on Xi's vast trade and infrastructure Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
At the top of the guest list is Putin, who is on his first trip to a major global power since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine threw his regime into international isolation.