Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing announced here Saturday Chinese and Russian presidents will hold a summit in Beijing in the later half of this year.

Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), and Premier Wen Jiabao will also pay official visits to Russia this year, Li told a press conference on the sidelines of the current session of the national legislature.

(Xinhua News Agency March 6, 2004)