On May 8 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow, capital of Russia, starting his visit to Russia and attending the upcoming celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in Great Patriotic War.

At about 9:50 a.m. local time, Xi Jinping's special plane arrived at Vnukovo Airport 2 in Moscow. When Xi Jinping and his wife Mme. Peng Liyuan walked slowly out of the cabin door, they were warmly welcomed by senior officials from the Russian government.

The Russian government held a welcome ceremony at the airport. Xi Jinping inspected the guards of honor of the three armed forces of Russia and watched the march-past.

Xi Jinping, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, extended sincere greetings and good wishes to the friendly Russian government and people. Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World War II. China and Russia are respectively the main battlefields of Asia and Europe in World War II. Both countries will hold a series of celebrations and commemorative activities this year, with the aim to demonstrate the resolve to jointly safeguard the fruits of the victory in World War II and the international fairness and justice and to warn people of the world to cherish and maintain the hard-won peace, not allowing a repeat of the tragedy of war. China and Russia are good neighbors, good partners and good friends and both countries have firmly forged a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination, becoming a model of peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation.

Wang Huning, Fan Changlong, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and other delegation members arrived by the same plane.

H.E. Li Hui, Chinese Ambassador to Russia also greeted them at the airport.

Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow after concluding his visit to Kazakhstan. When he was leaving Astana, Prime Minister Karim Massimov and First Deputy Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev of Kazakhstan together with senior government officials saw him off at the airport.