China-Russia Summit

[Anchor Lead]

China and Russia have held a summit ahead of the historic meeting between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea. Xi Jinping and Vlamidir Putin discussed the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and establishment of peace. Attention turns to whether China and Russia will start putting pressure on the United States to reach a deal.

[Pkg]

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on Friday. He first headed to Beijing to meet with President Xi Jinping. It's Putin's first summit with the Chinese leader since being re-elected back in March. According to Beijing's foreign ministry, the two are scheduled to have a joint press conference and will visit Qingdao together over the weekend to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. Topping the agenda of that event is the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and establishment of peace.

[Soundbite] Hua Chunying(Spokesperson, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs) : "The two leaders will exchange opinions on bilateral cooperation as well as international and regional issues."

China and Russia will likely side with Pyongyang on denuclearization methods. In a news conference prior to that trip, the Russian leader said North Korea has taken unprecedented steps and that efforts are needed to guarantee the regime's security. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit will be attended by the heads of various nations including Iran, Kazakhstanand Kyrgyzstan.