China's Xi welcomes Russian President Putin at Belt and Road banquet

Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders to Beijing at an evening banquet for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

This week, Beijing hosts representatives of 130 countries for a forum on Xi's vast trade and infrastructure BRI project. Putin is due to hold in-depth talks with Xi on the sidelines of the forum on Wednesday, the Kremlin said, with the war raging between Israel and Palestinian militant organisation Hamas looming large over the summit.