BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin will pay a state visit to China and attend the 18th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on June 8-10.

The following is a brief introduction to the Russian leader:

Born in Leningrad (today's St. Petersburg) on Oct. 7, 1952, Putin graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1975 and he once served in the former Soviet Union's State Security Committee (KGB).

From 1985 to 1990, Putin worked in East Germany. He returned to the Soviet Union in 1990 and worked as an assistant to the rector of Leningrad State University, Anatoly Sobchak.

Putin worked as chairman of the Committee for International Relations at the St. Petersburg City Hall since June 1991, and concurrently as deputy mayor of the city since 1994.

Putin was appointed as the deputy chief of the Presidential Property Management Directorate in August 1996, and the deputy chief of staff of the Presidential Executive Office and chief of Main Control Directorate in March 1997.

In May 1998, he was made first deputy chief of staff of the Presidential Executive Office. In July 1998, then Russian President Boris Yeltsin appointed him director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB's successor.

In March 1999, while still heading the FSB, Putin was appointed secretary of the State Security Council. In August 1999, Yeltsin appointed him prime minister. Upon Yeltsin's resignation on Dec. 31, 1999, Putin became acting president of Russia.

Putin was elected president of Russia in March 2000, and re-elected in March 2004. In 2008, Putin assumed the post of prime minister.

In 2012, Putin was elected again as Russia's president. He was re-elected in March 2018 and took office in May 7.

Putin visited China or came to China to attend international functions 15 times as Russian president and three times as Russian prime minister.