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China-Russia relations
ChinaPolitics

What is the political weight of Diaoyutai State Guesthouse where Putin is staying?

More than 1,400 heads of state have stayed in the compound, with the Russian president usually accommodated in its most prestigious villa

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The historic guest villas are situated within the tranquil Diaoyutai Scenic Area in the western suburbs of Beijing. Photo: Shutterstock
Xinlu Liangin Beijing
When Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing on Tuesday evening for a two-day state visit, he once again returned to his “second home” at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, a royal garden that has hosted dignitaries including Richard Nixon, Boris Yeltsin and Kim Jong-un.

Diaoyutai is a familiar setting for Putin, who has visited China more than 20 times and personally met President Xi Jinping on more than 40 occasions since 2013, according to state news agency Xinhua. He usually resides in Villa 18, the most prestigious of its buildings.

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Diaoyutai was once a key arena for US-China relations. It was here, in Villa 5, that Henry Kissinger – then US national security adviser and later secretary of state – stayed during his 1971 secret mission to bridge the gap between the two countries.

Then-president Nixon followed the next year, famously practising his “chopstick skills” for six months before his arrival to impress his hosts at the Diaoyutai banquet table. He was also accommodated at Villa 18.

The last American president to stay at Diaoyutai was Bill Clinton during his 1998 trip, but the guest house has also served as the location for meetings with Barack Obama and George W. Bush during their presidencies.

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