Putin set to reunite with man he met as a child in Beijing
A chance childhood encounter between Peng Pai and Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to come full circle 26 years later, as the two prepare to meet again in Beijing.
The now middle-aged engineer first met Putin in 2000, when he climbed a railing to wave at the visiting president, who responded by lifting him over and kissing him on the forehead — a moment captured in a now-iconic image. Peng said the unexpected meeting shaped his life, inspiring him to learn Russian and later study in Moscow under a presidential scholarship. Now, as Putin returns to China for official talks, Peng describes the upcoming reunion as another defining moment in his life.
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