Peng Pai, a man from Central China's Hunan Province who met Russian President Vladimir Putin 26 years ago, shows reporters a gift given to him by Putin after their reunion on May 20, 2026. Photo: Shen Sheng/GT

"It was a super, super, super surprise for me to meet President Putin. I feel like a super, super, super lucky person," Peng Pai, a man from Central China's Hunan Province, told the Global Times on Tuesday evening after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin. "President Putin was happy to reunite with the child he had met during his first visit to China 26 years ago, which shows that he attaches great importance to the friendship between China and Russia."

When the Global Times reporters met Peng, he was carrying a gift from President Putin — a blue gift box containing Russian porcelain. Opening the box, Peng showed the reporter an inscription that read: "'Moscow Classics' tea set from the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg. The 20-piece set features paintings of Moscow's historic architectural landmarks on each item."

Peng said the gift is "too precious for daily use."

Peng said that, by a remarkable "coincidence," the gift he presented to President Vladimir Putin was also porcelain — a birdsong teapot from Liling, Hunan Province. "When water is poured from the teapot, it produces a crisp sound like birds chirping. In traditional Chinese culture, magpies symbolize good news and happiness, so I wanted to give it to President Putin," Peng said.

During the meeting, "the president mentioned that he knew my hometown is Hunan, and that Hunan is the hometown of Chairman Mao Zedong," Peng said with a smile.

According to the Russia Today, in the summer of 2000, during Putin's first visit to China as president, he encountered 10-year-old Peng Pai at Beihai Park in Beijing. At the time, Peng's father had lifted him onto a railing, and Putin then walked over, lifted him down, and posed for a photograph with him. Today, Peng is a senior engineer at a company in Hunan Province.

On Wednesday, Putin met Peng again at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. According to the official website of the Kremlin, Putin said when meeting Peng: "I am very glad to see you." "To be honest, meeting you is a great surprise for me, but I am very happy about it."

Unlike their brief encounter 26 years ago, Peng had more opportunities for direct communication this time. 

He said that during the meeting, he shared with Putin details about his studies and work over the years, and the president expressed approval. "Today I told President Putin that I had studied at a university in Moscow, where I experienced the care and support that Russian teachers and students gave to us international students. I also brought the knowledge and rigorous attitude I learned there back to my hometown. When President Putin heard that I had returned home to work and contribute to the development of my hometown, he expressed his approval," Peng said.

According to media reports, after graduating from high school, Peng successfully obtained a Russian presidential scholarship and went to Russia to study. He later enrolled at Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University, majoring in bridge and traffic tunnel engineering. Peng told the Global Times that his encounter with Putin at Beihai Park 26 years ago became an important turning point that changed the course of his life. Since then, he had taken the initiative to learn about Russian history and culture, and later spent seven years studying and living in Russia.

The China-Russia Years of Education, starting this year, are set to feature hundreds of exchange events, building on the success of previous theme years dedicated to culture, sports and sci-tech innovation, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"I am an example of China-Russia educational cooperation," Peng said, noting that he is currently working in the engineering sector, and he thinks the two countries can have more opportunities for cooperation in this field. He said he would be very happy if he had the chance to take part in such cooperation."

Now the father of two boys, aged seven and five, Peng said he hopes to take them to Russia when they are older. "I want them to see the country that changed the course of my life and tell them the story that began 26 years ago in Beihai Park," he said. He added that he hopes his children can one day become part of the friendship and people-to-people exchanges between China and Russia.