FILE: Moscow, Russia - March 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of buildings in Kremlin, Saint Basil's Cathedral, river

FILE: Moscow, Russia - Feb 29, 2024 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
2. Russian President Vladimir Putin walking onto stage, attendees
3. Various of Putin delivering annual address

Beijing, China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Li Ziguo, director, Department for European-Central Asian Studies, China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) (starting with shots 1-3/partially overlaid with shots 5-7):
"Putin took the oath of office on May 7, and the Victory Day parade was held in Moscow's Red Square on May 9. Putin appointed officials to key positions of his government after the parade, and right after that he started his plan of visiting China. Last year, President Xi Jinping visited Russia within 10 days after being elected as Chinese President. We can see from the time points that the two sides regard each other as important diplomatic priorities, which is not words on paper, but has been reflected in concrete actions. Last year, President Xi visited Russia, and President Putin participated in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October. The two sides have very frequent high-level exchanges, which also reflected the importance of the relationship."

++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: Moscow, Russia - March 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of buildings, river, boat sailing 

FILE: Beijing, China - 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland) 
6. Sign of Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF), flower installations
7. Banner of BRF 
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

FILE: Yekaterinburg, Russia - Date Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
8. Various of business partners sitting together, talking
9. National flags of China, Russia 
10. Various of visitors at exhibition

Beijing, China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Li Ziguo, director, Department for European-Central Asian Studies, CIIS (starting with shot 10/partially overlaid with shots 12-16/ending with shot 17):
"One of my expectations for Putin's visit to China this time is that, for both Russia and China, it is necessary to clearly define once again the nature of China-Russia relations. The China-Russia relationship is a stable, sustainable, and independent bilateral relationship based on good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation. In addition, I think practical cooperation may be another focus for both sides, and it can also be a highlight. China and Russia have already had a large bilateral trade volume, and I think the achievements in major aspects like transportation, logistics, energy, innovation, and science may be reflected in Putin's visit to China this time."

++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: Yekaterinburg, Russia - Date Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
12. Various of people at auto company stand at exhibition
13. Business partners discussing 
14. Various of guest delivering speech at China-Russia Expo, attendees
15. Visitors at exhibition

FILE: Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, north China - Date Unknown (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
16. Aerial shot of freight train departing 
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

FILE: Heihe City, Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Date Unknown (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
17. Aerial shot of Heihe-Blagoveshchensk Bridge
18. Aerial shots of city view, frozen river
19. Aerial shot of truck moving 
20. Truck passing toll station

Beijing, China - Recent (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
21. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Li Ziguo, director, Department for European-Central Asian Studies, CIIS (partially overlaid with shots 22-23/ending with shot 24): 
"People all think the current world has entered a period with turbulent changes, and the two sides need to discuss how each other will be in this period. We need to know about each other's efforts to build a fair and equitable international order. This is a topic that I think is important in addition to the bilateral topics between China and Russia. For instance, there are regional conflicts, like the crisis in the Middle East, the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the crisis in Ukraine, in which Russia is also a party involved. How to reduce the uncertainties and destabilizing factors of regional conflicts should also be a part of the exchanges between the two sides."

++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++
FILE: Shanghai, China - May 23, 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
22. National flags of China, Russia

FILE: Moscow, Russia - March 2024 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
23. Various of pedestrians, traffic
++SHOTS OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

FILE: Moscow, Russia - 2021 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
24. Various of traffic

FILE: Moscow, Russia - April 5, 2022 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
25. Pedestrians

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Russian President Vladimir Putin's upcoming visit to China is expected to usher in a new stage of development of bilateral relations, said an expert on international issues.  
 
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Putin will pay a state visit to China from May 16 to 17.
 
As this year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, Putin's choice of China as the destination of his first overseas visit after starting his fifth presidential term highlights the high-level relations and particularity of China-Russia relations. 
 
"Putin took the oath of office on May 7, and the Victory Day parade was held in Moscow's Red Square on May 9. Putin appointed officials to key positions of his government after the parade, and right after that he started his plan of visiting China. Last year, President Xi Jinping visited Russia within 10 days after being elected as Chinese President. We can see from the time points that the two sides regard each other as important diplomatic priorities, which is not words on paper, but has been reflected in concrete actions. Last year, President Xi visited Russia, and President Putin participated in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October. The two sides have very frequent high-level exchanges, which also reflected the importance of the relationship," Li Ziguo, director of the Department for European-Central Asian Studies of China Institute of International Studies, said in a recent interview with China Central Television in Beijing.
 
As Putin just has started his fifth presidential term, this round of high-level exchange between China and Russia is expected to make strategic planning and top-level design for the development of bilateral relations and future cooperation.
 
"One of my expectations for Putin's visit to China this time is that, for both Russia and China, it is necessary to clearly define once again the nature of China-Russia relations. The China-Russia relationship is a stable, sustainable, and independent bilateral relationship based on good-neighborliness, friendship, mutual respect, equality, and win-win cooperation. In addition, I think practical cooperation may be another focus for both sides, and it can also be a highlight. China and Russia have already had a large bilateral trade volume, and I think the achievements in major aspects like transportation, logistics, energy, innovation, and science may be reflected in Putin's visit to China this time," Li said. 
 
Russia resumed the rotating presidency of BRICS grouping on Jan 1, 2024, and China will take over the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the second half of the year. 
 
The exchanges between China and Russia on major international and regional hotspot issues during Putin's visit to China are also highly concerned about by the outside world. 
 
"People all think the current world has entered a period with turbulent changes, and the two sides need to discuss how each other will be in this period. We need to know about each other's efforts to build a fair and equitable international order. This is a topic that I think is important in addition to the bilateral topics between China and Russia. For instance, there are regional conflicts, like the crisis in the Middle East, the Palestine-Israel conflict, and the crisis in Ukraine, in which Russia is also a party involved. How to reduce the uncertainties and destabilizing factors of regional conflicts should also be a part of the exchanges between the two sides," Li said.