On October 19, the third Belt and Road Forum was grandly held in Beijing, with approximately 140 countries and regions and over 30 international organizations in attendance.

Following the opening ceremony, the leaders of China and Russia held a meeting. On the morning of the 17th, Russian President Putin arrived in Beijing aboard a special plane, marking his first visit to China since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and becoming a focal point of global attention. During this visit to Beijing, Putin was accompanied by a delegation that included notable figures from the Russian energy sector and senior executives from natural gas and oil companies.

Sino-Russian economic relations have been rapidly developing, with expectations that bilateral trade will exceed $200 billion this year, making China Russia's largest trading partner. Putin may see his participation in this forum as an important opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation with China and expand bilateral trade.

During the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum, Putin delivered a speech praising President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative and elucidating the indispensable role that Russia plays.

Working together, China and Russia will bring new opportunities to the Belt and Road Initiative. Among the six major economic corridors of the Belt and Road, three are directly related to Russia. Cooperation with Russia is vital to connecting the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor. Through the development of transportation, trade, and energy channels spanning China, Mongolia, and Russia, these three nations will unite and realize the integration of the Belt and Road Initiative with the Eurasian Land Bridge and the Mongolian "Steppe Road."

*Images are from http://www.beltandroadforum.org/