Beijing: Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit China "in the first half of this year," Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced Wednesday at the conclusion of a two-day visit to Beijing that commenced on Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Lavrov shared with Russian media, including state news agency Tass, that while the specifics of the visit's program are still being finalized, a key agenda item will be the renewal of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Friendship, originally signed in July 2001. Lavrov highlighted the importance of focusing on education as part of the summit agenda during Putin's visit.

Lavrov's visit to Beijing, which began on Tuesday, included discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and a meeting with President Xi Jinping early Wednesday. The visit occurs against the backdrop of the ongoing US-Israeli conflict with Iran.

This year is significant for China-Russia relations, marking the 30th anniversary of their strategic partnership of coordination and the 25th anniversary of the Sino-Russia Treaty of Friendship. Russian daily Vedomosti noted that Putin's visit is anticipated to occur in the latter half of May, with potential dates being discussed for the week of May 18, according to two anonymous sources.

The ties between Russia and China have strengthened in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $220 billion last year. Putin's last visit to China was in September, where he participated in a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin and attended a military parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.