Xi will honor soldiers during Russia trip

Visits to Kazakhstan and Belarus will center on improving their strategic partnerships

Medals marking the 70th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) are seen at the Russkiye Remesla Center in Yaroslavl, Russia, Feb 24, 2015. [Photo/CFP]

President Xi Jinping will meet with representatives of senior Russian soldiers and experts during his trip abroad starting later this week, as Beijing and Moscow are set to make their own trans-Eurasia blueprints.

Xi will begin his visit to Kazakhstan on Thursday, visit Russia from Friday to Sunday and attend the ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of victory of the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) in Moscow, Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang announced on Monday.

As the third and last stop, Xi will pay a state visit to Belarus from Sunday to May 12, Lu said.

Vice-Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping said the president will meet with representatives of veteran soldiers from World War II.

Xi will also meet with representatives of Russian experts who had been dispatched to aid China during the former Soviet Union era, Cheng told reporters during a news conference in Beijing on Monday.

Additionally, for the first time, a contingent of honor guards from the People's Liberation Army will take part in a major parade in Moscow on Saturday, China's ambassador to Russia, Li Hui, and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense confirmed recently.

Cheng noted that the Russian visit will be more than a good opportunity for China, Russia and the international community to remember history and honor those who sacrificed their lives.

"During the visit, the two leaders will determine the priority areas and directions for taking the China-Russia relationship to the next stage," Cheng said.

During Xi's visit to Moscow, they will release a joint statement and will embark on further discussions for strategic transcontinental blueprints, according to Cheng.

In an April meeting between foreign ministers in Moscow, both countries said they were ready to "proactively explore" cooperation on China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, and Russia's idea of creating a "passage" between Asia and Europe and integrating Eurasian economies.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also voiced support for the Silk Road Economic Belt plan. China has been the largest trading partner for Russia for five years.

Yang Cheng, deputy director of the Center for Russian Studies at East China Normal University, said the attendance of the Chinese leader shows "the unswerving shared commitment from both sides to champion the postwar order".

The developing cooperative agenda also demonstrates a strong "durability" of the strategic partnership between China and Russia, Yang added.

Vice-Foreign Minister Cheng also noted that Xi will be the first foreign leader to visit Kazakhstan after the recent re-election of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The two leaders will sketch a blueprint for cooperation, including the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, and will coordinate positions on a range of major cooperative programs, Cheng said.

Xi will also become the first Chinese president in 14 years to visit Belarus, a traditionally friendly country for China.

Top-level policies and plans will be outlined by the two leaders to boost their comprehensive strategic partnership, Cheng said.

Xinhua contributed to this story.