Pakistan, May 21 -- A childhood encounter with Russian President Vladimir Putin changed the course of a Chinese engineer's life, leading to a decades-long connection that was renewed during the Russian leader's recent visit to Beijing.

Read More: Future of China-Russia Cooperation

The story began 26 years ago when Putin, then newly appointed as Russia's president, made his first official visit to China in July 2000. During an unannounced visit to Beijing's Beihai Park, he met a 12-year-old boy named Peng Pai and posed for a photograph with him beside a lakeside area in the park.

According to Chinese media reports, Peng's father had lifted him near a railing so he could better view the lake when Putin noticed the child. The Russian lead...