On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People. The meeting took place just days after US President Donald Trump's visit to Beijing. Putin greeted Xi using a poetic phrase in Chinese that describes the passage of time, according to CNN. “Autumn” in ancient Chinese literature is a poetic reference to years. Putin said, “It would be appropriate to use a well-known Chinese proverb. I believe that in China, people say, 'One day apart is like three autumns.' Indeed, it is very pleasant to see you.”

Xi welcomed Putin with pomp and ceremony, similar to the grand display seen on Tiananmen Square. Xi personally greeted Putin outside the Great Hall of the People, just under a week after Trump’s visit to Beijing.

A Model Relationship

Xi stated that he had friendly and fruitful conversations with Putin, highlighting the high level and nature of the Russian-Chinese relationship. "Our relations have reached new heights and are rightly considered a model of relations between two major powers," Xi emphasized. Representatives from Russia and China signed 20 joint documents during the visit, and Putin and Xi adopted a joint declaration on the development of a multipolar world and a new type of international relations.