Putin to pay state visit to China

Beijing, May 13 (IANS) Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China in June and attend the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as a guest of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping met Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Beijing Friday, and vowed to make Putin's visit a success, the China Daily reported.

"China attaches great importance to the visit, and is in close coordination with Russia on the preparations," Xi said.

"Leaders of the two countries fully understand the strategic, long-term and comprehensive nature of China-Russia relations, and always take the relationship as one of each other's diplomatic priorities," he said.

As permanent members of the UN Security Council, the two countries share similar views on major global and regional issues, and have contributed to world peace, he said.

Founded in Shanghai in 2001, the SCO comprises six member countries -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Lavrov visited China earlier this week to attend a meeting of the SCO foreign ministers.