Putin and Xi announce plans to strengthen military ties in Beijing

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…