May-November 2014：Xi and Putin held face-to-face talks nearly every two months.

May 2014

Shanghai, China

Putin paid a state visit to China, also his first China trip since Xi took office. Xi held talks with him in Shanghai.

President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcoming ceremony for Russian President Vladimir Putin before their talks in Shanghai, May 20, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]

Both leaders agreed that further facilitating the China-Russia all-round strategic partnership of coordination is an "inevitable choice" for the development of a multi-polar world, and called for promoting bilateral cooperation on major projects in the fields of trade, economy, investment, energy, high technology, aviation, aerospace, infrastructure construction and people's livelihood.

The two sides signed a series of cooperative documents in various areas, including a long-awaited, significant gas deal.