MOSCOW, Sept 2 (TASS) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he will soon meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

"Rather soon we will have some events and there will be a meeting with Chairman of the People’s Republic of China [Xi Jinping]," the Russian president said during an open lecture entitled "Conversations about what matters."

Putin revealed that the Chinese leader considers him his friend. "I am happy to call him my friend because this is a man who is personally doing a great deal for the development of Russian-Chinese relations, in various spheres at that," the Russian president noted.

The head of state also assured one of the members of the audience who asked a question about opportunities to expand humanitarian interaction between Russia and China that he would definitely discuss with Xi what else can be done on this track.

It was reported earlier that in October, Putin may attend the Belt and Road Forum in China.