Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will visit Beijing on August 8 and 9 to hold "full-scale talks" with Chinese leaders.


The visit is timed with the opening of the Olympic Games.


"Despite unprecedented engagement of Chinese authorities in the organisation of the Olympiad, the Chinese leaders have allocated special time for meeting with the Russian prime minister. This is an important gesture for the part of the Chinese leaders testifying and stressing special relations of Russia and China," said a source from the Russian government.


He added, "China's leadership will probably even arrange a lunch in the morning of August 8 in honour of Putin."

Putin will also hold separate talks with Chinese State Council Premier Wen Jiabao on this day.


The Russian prime minister is expected to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao, on Saturday, as well as China's former leader Jiang Zemin.


The source said the sides would discuss the widest range of matters of bilateral cooperation in the sphere of energy, the industry, civilian aviation and ecology as well as results of the meeting of the two countries' leaders in this year's May and ways to implement achieved accords.