BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin will pay a state visit to China from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Putin was born on Oct. 7, 1952, in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). He graduated from the law department at Leningrad State University in 1975 and later earned a Ph.D. degree in economics.
He served in the Soviet Union's State Security Committee, including a post in the German Democratic Republic from 1985 to 1990.
After returning to the Soviet Union in 1990, Putin held a series of posts, including assistant for international affairs to the rector of Leningrad State University, advisor to the chairman of the Leningrad City Council, chairman of the St. Petersburg City Council's International Relations Committee, and first deputy mayor of St. Petersburg.
In August 1996, he was appointed deputy head of the Russian President's Property Management Directorate. In March 1997, he became deputy head of the Executive Office of the President and head of the Central Supervision and Inspections Directorate. In May 1998, he was promoted to first deputy head of the Executive Office of the President.
In March 1999, Putin was appointed secretary of the Russian Security Council. On Aug. 9, 1999, he was named first deputy prime minister and acting prime minister, and officially assumed the post of prime minister on Aug. 16.
On Dec. 31, 1999, then-President Boris Yeltsin announced his resignation and appointed Putin as acting president. In March 2000, Putin was elected president. He served two presidential terms from 2000 to 2008, was prime minister from 2008 to 2012, and served another two presidential terms from 2012 to 2024. In March 2024, Putin was re-elected president and was sworn in on May 7 for a six-year term.
Putin has visited China or attended international events in China 24 times. ■
