Vladimir Putin had a meeting with Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China Li Qiang in the Kremlin.

Vladimir Putin: Friends,

I am pleased to welcome all of you − especially you, Mr Premier, on your first official visit to Moscow leading a representative Chinese delegation.

Our countries have developed large-scale joint plans and projects in the economic and humanitarian spheres, which are set to continue for many years. Together with our friend President Xi Jinping, we have established key points of reference during our summits in Moscow and Beijing. These points were consolidated by agreements reached during our conversation in July, on the sidelines of the SCO Heads of State Council meeting in Astana. Please convey friendly greetings and best wishes to President Xi, and we look forward to seeing him at the BRICS summit in Kazan.

I have been informed that today you and Prime Minister Mishustin held a detailed discussion on the entire range of trade, economic and humanitarian cooperation issues at the regular meeting.

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Welcome.

Li Qiang (retranslated): President Putin, I am delighted to meet with you once again.

Let me start by conveying sincere greetings and best wishes on behalf of President of China Xi Jinping.

This is my first visit to Russia as the Premier of the State Council of China. Over the past 2 days, I have taken part in meetings with my Russian colleagues, gained a sense of optimism the people of Russia have, and witnessed Russia’s vibrant socioeconomic development.

Under your wise leadership, Russia has remained focused on promoting sustained economic growth over the past 2 years. In fact, your country’s GDP increased by 4.7 percent in the first 6 months of this year alone. Achieving such a high rate is never easy, and as your close friend and ally, we cannot help but welcome and deeply appreciate these achievements.

The strategic leadership of presidents has guided China-Russia relations and elevated them to an unprecedentedly high level.

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🇷🇺 August 22 is the State Flag Day in Russia, established on August 20, 1994, in accordance with Presidential Executive Order "On the State Flag Day of the Russian Federation".

#OTD, we pay tribute to Russia’s official state symbol which, alongside its emblem and the national anthem, stands as a symbol of and the testimony to the country’s sovereignty and independence, while asserting the generational continuity for our multicultural and multi-ethnic nation.

The Russian tricoloured flag is over three hundred years old. Tsar Peter I is considered to be its creator: he ordered “commercial vessels of all kinds” to sail under the white-blue-red flag. However, it was only in 1896 that this flag obtained its official status, not long before Emperor Nicholas II’s coronation.

⚪️🔵🔴 While there is no official interpretation of the national flag colours, it is widely accepted that white symbolizes purity, independence and peace, blue embodies faith, loyalty and justice, while red stands for courage, might and valour.

☝️ Today, the tricoloured flag has become an integral part of our lives as a symbol of the Russian state, national unity and our people's devotion to the Fatherland, as well as the commitment to assert and promote the national interests.

🇷🇺 22 августа в нашей стране отмечается День Государственного флага, установленный на основании указа Президента России от 20 августа 1994 года «О Дне Государственного флага Российской Федерации».

Сегодня мы отдаём дань уважения официальному государственному символу России, который наряду с гербом и гимном знаменует её суверенитет и независимость, утверждает преемственность многих поколений многонационального народа страны.

История российского триколора насчитывает более трёх столетий. Его создателем считается Пётр I: в 1705 году он издал указ, согласно которому «на торговых всяких судах» должны поднимать бело-сине-красное полотнище. Однако статус официального флаг приобрёл только в 1896 году, накануне коронации Николая II.

⚪️🔵🔴 Официального толкования цветов российского флага нет. Однако принято считать, что белый цвет означает чистоту, независимость и мир, синий – веру, преданность и правосудие, красный – смелость, силу и мужество.

☝️ Сегодня триколор прочно вошёл в нашу жизнь как неотъемлемая часть российской государственности, символ единства народа, его преданности Отечеству, готовности отстаивать национальные интересы.