Russian president arrives in China

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has arrived in northeast China to discuss plans to boost oil and gas exports to his country’s Asian neighbor.

Top Russian energy officials accompany the Russian premier on his three-day visit to China, which started on Sunday.

Medvedev began his stay by visiting Dalian, a former Russian city, to pay respect to Russian soldiers who died defending the port from Japanese invaders.

The Russian president emphasized the warm ties between the two countries, Russia and China, which he says will “do good” for future generations.

“Friendship with China is Russia’s strategic choice, it’s a choice that was sealed by blood years ago,” Medvedev told Russian and Chinese war veterans in Dalian, according to AFP.

He is slated to meet his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao in the capital Beijing on Monday. The launch of a major oil pipeline is expected to be at the heart of the talks.

The pipeline, scheduled to be completed next year, is designed to deliver over one million barrels of Russia’s oil a day to China.

On Tuesday, Medvedev will head to Shanghai and visit the Russian pavilion at the World Expo.