Vladimir Putin joked on Friday that he had not treated his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping "like a hospitable host". According to the Russian president, he had a long dialogue with the Chinese president that lasted until midnight; however, at this point he had to send his guest to have a rest.
"I have to apologise to you, but I have to send you to have a rest. Hosts don't treat their guests like that", Putin said.
The Russian head of state noted that such a long conversation meant that the two sides had a big agenda to discuss.
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The Chinese president has been in Russia for his third day, as he arrived for an official visit in order to take part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2019.
The forum's annual attendance is estimated at nearly 10,000 participants from Russia and abroad, including heads of states and governments, corporate leaders, as well as scholars, media workers, and civil society representatives.