Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin are scheduled to hold a summit meeting on Wednesday after making speeches at an international forum on the Belt and Road Initiative that opened on Tuesday.

Putin is in Beijing for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began to attend the forum.

China considers the forum its most important diplomatic event this year.

Chinese state-run media reported that Xi held separate talks with the leaders of eight countries, including Indonesia and Serbia, on Tuesday.

Xi greeted Putin at a banquet in the evening. They exchanged words, shook hands and posed for photos.

The two leaders are expected to discuss the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Ukraine in their summit.

They have been working together more closely, as they are both at odds with the United States and Europe. Attention is on what positions they will take on the Middle East and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, China's state-run media reported that dignitaries from 24 countries arrived to attend the forum as of Tuesday night.

When the previous forum was held in 2019, the government said delegates from 38 countries participated.

But the media have not reported on the absence of leaders of some European nations that attended the last time.

The Italian government is reportedly considering pulling out of the Belt and Road Initiative.

A foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday that dignitaries are arriving one after another, but the government has not disclosed the exact number.