Despite his illness, Russian officials said Mr Yeltsin met the Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, for forty minutes in his private room at the Central Clinical Hospital.

Although no details have been released, a BBC correspondent in Moscow says nothing substantive was likely to have been discussed.

During his two-day visit, Mr Jiang is also due to meet the Russian prime minister, Yevgeny Primakov.

A statement on the demarcation of the joint Chinese-Russian border is expected to be signed, aimed at putting to rest centuries-old territorial disputes.

The agenda is also likely to include ways to boost trade, despite Russia's economic crisis.