Putin to visit China on June 8-10 for SCO summit – aide

Russian President Vladimir Putin will make an official visit to China and take part in a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on June 8-10, presidential aide Yury Ushakov said on Wednesday. Before the visit, Putin will meet China’s Vice President Wang Qishan on May 24-25 at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Ushakov noted. “The conversation with him will be rather useful with regard to preparations for the state visit of our president to China and participation in the SCO on June 8-10,” TASS quoted Ushakov as saying. Putin and Wang will also discuss current issues of economic cooperation, Ushakov said, adding that the trade turnover between Russia and China in 2017 increased by 31.5 percent to $87 billion, and this January - March by 30.8 percent, having exceeded $24 billion.