Putin and Xi announce plans to strengthen military ties in Beijing

News Snapshot:

Russia and China have announced they will deepen their already close military ties, as Vladimir Putin met Xi Jinping in Beijing on his first foreign trip since being inaugurated for a new term as Russia’s president. It is the latest in a string of statements and signals that the warm relationship between the two countries is as strong as it has ever been. Xi’s red carpet welcome for Putin – a man he has described as his “best friend” – comes after a whistle-stop tour in Europe where the Chinese president faced tough questions on his country’s economic and political...