China Gives Putin A Diplomatic Boost

Russia's President Vladimir Putin, right, and China's President Xi Jinping review an honor guard during a welcome ceremony at the Xijiao State Guesthouse ahead of the fourth Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) summit, in Shanghai, China, Tuesday, May 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Carlos Barria, Pool)

SHANGHAI (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin, facing isolation in the West over Ukraine, received a diplomatic boost Tuesday on a state visit to China, where he hopes to extend his country's dealings with Asia.

Putin met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the start of a two-day conference on Asian security with leaders from Iran and Central Asia.

The two governments are negotiating a multibillion-dollar sale of Russian gas to China, and officials have said a deal might be completed in time to be signed during Putin's visit.

The deal would give Moscow an economic and political win at a time when Washington and the European Union have imposed asset freezes and visa bans on dozens of Russian officials and several companies.

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