Archbishop Hilarion, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of Moscow Patriarchate, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church is starting a visit to China. Visit is conducted at the invitation of the State Administration for Religious Affairs under the State Council of China. During his visit Bishop Hilarion will visit Beijing, Harbin and Shanghai, will meet with the leadership of Administration for Religious Affairs, religious leaders of China, compatriots living in China. During the visit, there will be talks between the Chinese and Russian side on a wide range of issues of cooperation in the sphere of religious contacts, ways to normalize the situation of the Orthodox Church in China.