On the afternoon of September 14, 2011, Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), arrived in Moscow, kicking off his official goodwill visit to Russia. During the visit, Wu will also attend the fifth meeting of the China-Russia parliamentary cooperation committee. Russia is the first leg of Wu's four-nation Eurasian tour, which will also take him to Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

The autumn sky is clear and the air is crisp in Moscow in September. At about 1 pm local time, Chairman Wu Bangguo's special plane landed at Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport 1. Chinese Ambassador to Russia Li Hui and senior officials from Russia boarded the plane to greet Wu Bangguo. Chairman Wu shook hands and exchanged greetings with Vice Chairman of Russian State Duma Melnikov, Russian Ambassador to China Razov and other officials in front of the ramp. A Russian young woman presented flowers to Chairman Wu Bangguo and Vice Chairman and Secretary General Li Jianguo of China's NPC Standing Committee who accompanied Wu on the visit.

In a written speech delivered upon his arrival, Wu said he was very glad to come to beautiful Russia again for an official goodwill visit and to attend the fifth meeting of the China-Russia parliamentary cooperation committee. The China-Russia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership had made unprecedented progress since the two countries signed the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation 10 years ago. Guided by the principles of the Treaty, bilateral pragmatic cooperation in all areas has also reached an unprecedented high level. China was ready to make joint efforts with Russia to continue to uphold the principles and spirit of the Treaty, actively implement the important consensus reached between the heads of state of the two countries, unswervingly enhance political trust and friendship for generations, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and promote common development, he said. He added that, by doing so, the two sides would lift bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new height and bring more benefits to both countries and their peoples.

During the visit, his fourth to Russia as Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), Wu is expected to meet or hold talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Chairman Boris Gryzlov of the Russian State Duma, and Acting Speaker Alexander Torshin of the Russian Federation Council respectively, exchanging in-depth views on major issues of common concern. Wu will also attend the fifth meeting of the China-Russia parliamentary cooperation committee. It is reported that China's NPC signed agreements with the Russian Federation Council and the Russian State Duma respectively in 2005 to establish cooperation committee. The committee is co-chaired by Chairman Wu Bangguo of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), the speaker of the Russian Federation Council and the chairman of the Russian State Duma. It is the highest-level regular meeting mechanism between China's top legislature and a foreign parliament. So far, the cooperation committee has held four meetings in Moscow and Beijing respectively. It has become an important platform for China-Russia parliamentary cooperation and has played an active role in promoting the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Russia.

The officials who had arrived earlier in Moscow for the meeting, including Vice-Chairman Ma Wenpu of Foreign Affairs Committee of the NPC, Vice-Chairman Hong Hu of Law Committee of the NPC, Chen Jiagui, member of Financial and Economic Affairs Committee of the NPC, Li Mu, member of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee of the NPC, Meng Wei, member of the Environment Protection and Resources Conservation Committee of the NPC, and Liu Donghui, Vice Chairman of Heilongjiang Provincial People's Congress Standing Committee, also greeted Wu at the airport.