Russian President Vladimir Putin plays piano as he awaits talks with Xi Jinping

Putin spoke earlier on Sunday at a summit on China’s new Silk Road plan. He later arrived at state Diaoyutai residence for talks with Xi and other leaders.

Russian President Vladimir Putin played piano while awaiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping for bilateral talks in Beijing on Sunday.

Vladimir Putin plays piano before his talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping prior to the opening ceremony of the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing. (AP Photo)

Putin spoke earlier on Sunday at a summit on China’s new Silk Road plan. He later arrived at state Diaoyutai residence for talks with Xi and other leaders.

While waiting for his bilateral with Xi to begin, Putin played several chords. According to TASS news agency and state Russian television, Putin played passages from Soviet-era songs about Moscow and St Petersburg.

The 64-year-old former KGB spy has demonstrated his skills on the piano in the past although he has mostly cultivated a macho image. That included riding a horse in Siberia, piloting firefighting planes and diving in submersible into the depths of Lake Baikal and Black Sea off Crimea coast.