A Kremlin source told RIA Novosti that the Chinese leader would hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and would also hold meetings with the heads of the upper and lower chambers of the Russian parliament, Boris Gryzlov and Sergei Mironov. The source said that international affairs would take an important place in the talks.
"The heads of states will discuss how to ensure security and stability in various regions of the world, including Central Asia, by counteracting international terrorism," the source said. "There will be an exchange of opinions on approaches to UN reform and interaction in other international forums, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization."
He said that a summit of the latter body (which unites Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) is scheduled for July 4-5 in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
On Wednesday, China's assistant foreign minister, Li Hiu, said the Korean nuclear problem, Iraq and expanding strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing could be discussed in the Russian capital.
The Chinese diplomat said that the visit aimed to advance practical cooperation between the two countries. The assistant minister said the two leaders had previously set an objective of seeing bilateral trade hit $60-80 billion by 2010, and Chinese investment in Russia reaching $12 billion by 2020.
During his visit, which will last until July 3, Ju Hintao will also visit the Siberian city of Novosibirsk. The Kremlin source that the visit and the Chinese leader's meeting with high-ranking officials in Siberian Federal District would help develop inter-regional cooperation. The trip echoes a similar visit Vladimir Putin made to Xi'an in October 2004, where he met the governors of western Chinese provinces.
The source said that dozens of regions and towns in Russia and China maintained ties and that Moscow saw inter-regional ties as a most important part of Russian-Chinese relations as strategic partners.
