On July 8 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in Ufa to attend the seventh BRICS Summit and the 15th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation.

At about 1:20 p.m. local time, Xi Jinping's special plane arrived at Ufa International Airport. At the foot of the ramp, some Russian youths dressed in Russian national costumes presented bread and salt to Xi Jinping in accordance with the local tradition for receiving distinguished guests. Xi Jinping tore off a small piece of the bread, dipped it in the salt and had a taste. Senior officials of the government of the Russian Federation, the Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Secretary General of the SCO received Xi Jinping at the airport.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and other accompanying officials arrived by the same plane.

Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Governor of the People's Bank of China (PBC) Zhou Xiaochuan, who had arrived earlier, and H.E. Li Hui, Chinese Ambassador to Russia, greeted President Xi Jinping at the airport as well.

Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan of the Russian Federation. It is located at the south foot of the Ural Mountains and by the side of the Ufa River. It is one of the economic, cultural, and scientific and technological centers as well as a transportation hub of Russia. This is the second time that Russia has hosted the BRICS Summit, and the theme of the current Summit is "BRICS Partnership --- Highly Potent Factor in Global Development". This is also the fourth time that Russia has hosted the Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO Member States. The current Meeting will plan the future development of the SCO and coordinate stances on strengthening cooperation among the member states and on major international and regional issues at present.