Russian President Vladimir Putin reunited with Chinese engineer Peng Pai in Beijing on Wednesday, more than two decades after their first meeting during Putin’s maiden visit to China in 2000. At the time, Peng was a 12-year-old schoolboy selected to greet Putin on his first official trip to China after taking office as president, according to the South China Morning Post.

Now an engineer, Peng met Putin again at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, where the Russian leader was staying during his two-day visit to Beijing. The two exchanged a handshake and had a short conversation. Putin also signed a printed photograph from their first encounter in the summer of 2000.

26 yrs ago, on his first China visit as president, Putin made an unscheduled stop, taking a photo with a Chinese schoolboy named Peng Pai

RT found the boy & brought the story to the media’s attention

Today, 26 yrs later, Peng Pai met with Putin again pic.twitter.com/PYlgp8KAsR

— RT (@RT_com) May 20, 2026

As they looked through the old group picture together, Putin pointed to a man standing beside him and asked Peng who it was. Peng replied that it was his father. “Learning that the man standing beside me is my father, he asked me to give my father his regards,” Peng recalled.

Their original meeting happened after Putin made an unscheduled stop at Beihai Park following a visit to the Forbidden City in 2000. Spotting young Peng in the crowd, Putin reportedly walked over, lifted the boy up, and kissed him gently on the forehead.

Speaking later, Peng said the moment happened unexpectedly and that he still remembers Putin as a warm and gentle person, almost like an “uncle” figure.

According to a video shared on X, Putin told Peng he was pleased to learn that the Chinese engineer had studied in Moscow. Peng attended the Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University between 2007 and 2013. Putin remarked, “Moscow has a warm climate but I hoped you had a comfortable and friendly experience while living there.”