BEIJING (Reuters) -Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun a meeting with Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing, official news agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

They met at the Great Hall of the People a day after Chinese Premier Li Qiang met Mishustin in Hangzhou city, where Li said China wants to strengthen cooperation with Russia and defend shared security interests.

(Reporting by Liz Lee and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Christopher Cushing)