China is hosting an international forum on its Belt and Road Initiative beginning on Tuesday in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to talk on the sidelines.

The Chinese government has said the two-day event is expected to draw delegates from more than 140 countries.

Tuesday's schedule includes a business forum and a banquet for state leaders. Xi will deliver a speech on Wednesday.

The Russian presidential office says the Putin-Xi meeting is slated for Wednesday. Putin is traveling to China for the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Kremlin says the two leaders will discuss current regional and international issues. It said the Chinese and Russian governments hold similar or the same stances on important global issues.

Putin stressed his friendly relationship with Xi in an interview with Chinese state-run TV ahead of his trip to China. He expressed his hope to enhance bilateral cooperation.

The two leaders will have talks for the first time since they met in Moscow in March. Observers are paying attention to whether they will discuss fighting between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, and Russia's continuing invasion of Ukraine.