(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-05-23 19:03

BEIJING  -- Russia's new president, Dmitry Medvedev, arrived in Beijing on Friday, starting a two-day state visit to China as a guest of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Medvedev will hold talks with Chinese President Hu. He will also meet top legislator Wu Bangguo, top political advisor Jia Qinglin and vice president Xi Jinping.

Medvedev is scheduled to deliver a speech at Peking University on Saturday afternoon.

Medvedev told major Chinese media in Moscow before his China tour that any topic of interest to both sides could be discussed.

"I hope that consultations between me and Chinese President Hu Jintao, as well as other Chinese leaders, will cover a wide range of issues," he said. "I am full of expectations for the visit, which will be substantial and constructive."

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui said Medvedev's visit to China had four goals: establishing good working relations and personal friendship between the leaders of the two countries; ensuring the goals of Sino-Russian ties in the next few years; increasing political trust and giving each other firm support on issues concerning sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, and deepening pragmatic cooperation.

Medvedev is the first head of state to pay a state visit to China after the devastating earthquake in the southwestern Sichuan Province.

This is Medvedev's first state visit to China and his first visit outside the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) since he was sworn in on May 7.

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