Putin signs military cooperation statement with Xi during meeting in Beijing

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a military cooperation statement with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Beijing.

The two global leaders signed a joint statement agreeing to "deepen trust and cooperation in the military field" and "expand the scope of joint exercises and combat training," among other things.

Putin is in China for two days as his country's military is pressing forward with an offensive in northeastern Ukraine, the Associated Press reported.

The visit marks 75 years of relations between China and Russia. 

"Let me remind you that the Soviet Union was the first state to recognize the People's Republic of China - right the next day after the announcement of the new state," Putin said, as translated, during a press conference with Xi.

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