BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping hosted Russian President Vladimir Putin for tea at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday evening, adding a warm personal touch to the conclusion of Putin's 25th visit to China.

This was the second tea gathering Xi had arranged for a visiting head of state in just a few days. Earlier during US President Donald Trump's widely-watched state visit to China, Xi invited Trump to the Zhongnanhai compound, where they took a leisurely stroll before sitting down for private talks over tea.

While cultural elements often feature in Xi's diplomatic interactions with world leaders, chats over tea have emerged as a signature part of his diplomatic style for cultivating personal rapport with visiting dignitaries.

TEA CHATS

Over tea served in bright yellow porcelain tea sets, Xi and Putin reflected on the outcomes of the visit and envisioned the future development of bilateral cooperation.

Xi expressed his confidence that with unremitting efforts from both sides, China-Russia relations will surely build on the momentum of high-quality development and scale new heights.

Voicing thanks to Xi, Putin described his tightly scheduled visit as "successful" and "fruitful." Earlier in the day, the two leaders agreed on further extending the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, signed 25 years ago. They also witnessed the signing of 20 cooperation documents ranging from economy and trade to media and education.

This was not the first tea chat between the two presidents. Two years ago, Xi and Putin met over tea by the water at Zhongnanhai, with both of them foregoing ties in a relaxed atmosphere.

During his visits abroad, Xi was also invited by foreign leaders for chats over tea, notably in countries with a shared tea-drinking culture. When he travelled to Moscow in May last year, he joined Putin for a tea chat at the Kremlin.

A known tea connoisseur, Xi views the beverage as more than just a personal preference. Originating in China and enjoyed globally, tea serves as a crucial ambassador of Chinese culture -- a sentiment the president frequently expresses.

Tea symbolizes hospitality and respect, creating a calm and refined atmosphere for open dialogue. Besides Putin, many other foreign leaders have attended Xi's tea sessions, including French President Emmanuel Macron and top Vietnamese leader To Lam.

Xi often presents premium tea and exquisite Chinese tea sets as diplomatic gifts to foreign guests at high-profile gatherings hosted by China. At the 2017 BRICS Summit in Xiamen, for instance, he gifted curated boxes containing five representative, premium tea varieties from East China's Fujian province.