The visit comes just a week after Donald Trump concluded a state visit to China.
Putin was welcomed by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi before heading to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
It marks the first time China has hosted the leaders of both Russia and the United States in the same month outside a multilateral summit setting.
The previous meeting between Putin and Xi took place in February through a video link, while fresh talks between the two leaders are scheduled for Wednesday.
Putin is accompanied by a large delegation of officials and business representatives, with discussions expected to focus on bilateral relations, the US-Iran conflict and energy cooperation.
According to the Kremlin, the leaders will discuss hydrocarbons, gas exports and the proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project.
The two sides are also expected to sign a joint statement and several agreements following the talks.
Putin will additionally meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang to discuss trade and economic cooperation.
Ahead of Putin’s arrival, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov in Beijing.
Before departing for China, Putin described ties between Moscow and Beijing as being at an “unprecedented level” and stressed that the partnership was “not directed against anyone”.
In a video message, the Russian president referred to Xi as a “longtime, good friend” and praised growing economic cooperation between the two countries.
He said bilateral trade had surpassed $200 billion and that transactions were now conducted almost entirely in rubles and yuan.
The trip also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation signed between the two countries in 2001 by then-Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Putin.
During the visit, Putin and Xi are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the Russia-China Years of Education 2026-2027 programme.
With Putin’s visit, China will have hosted all four leaders of the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council within recent months.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited China in December, while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer travelled to Beijing in January.
Separately, China rejected a report by the Financial Times claiming Xi had told Trump that Putin might eventually regret invading Ukraine.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun described the report as “completely false”.
