Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia is a state one, in order to underscore its importance, but, in essence, it will be purely business-like, without any “protocol stuff,” Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Friday, answering a question from TASS.
“The peculiarity of this state visit is that there will be no additional complicating protocol stuff; the most important thing is negotiations, negotiations and more negotiations,” the official said, adding that the “visit is called a state one in order to underscore its importance, while it will be purely business-like.”
“It was agreed this way, because the visit takes place immediately after many domestic events in Beijing – the reelection of the Chairman, as well as a number of other ones – we agreed that we will limit ourselves to a visit to Moscow,” Ushakov said, answering a question on why Xi Jinping will not visit several other cities, which is usually the case during state visits.
“It was agreed upon in advance,” the official said.
“The exchange of presents is indeed included,” Ushakov said, adding that the presents will be “not too expensive, but symbolic.” He refrained from revealing what present has been prepared from the Russian side. When asked if the Chinese leader will visit the newly-constructed Big Circle Line of the Moscow Metro, Ushakov pointed out that the Russian President said earlier that metro construction has reached a high level and is worthy of showing to Chinese colleagues.
“I do not know, maybe some of them [members of the delegation] will probably go down in the metro, but this has not been planned for the Chairman,” the official said.
He added that the “practical preparation of the visit has begun immediately after the re-election of Xi Jinping.” Xi Jinping was re-elected for the third five-year term as the President of the People’s Republic of China earlier in March; earlier in October, 2022, Xi Jinping was also re-elected as the Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
According to the diplomatic protocol, the state visit status is the highest class of foreign visits and it is rarely used. Usually, such visits imply a number of additional protocol events and meetings.
