Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed strengthening military ties with Beijing on Wednesday as he hosted a senior Chinese general in Moscow. Russia has bolstered ties with its Chinese neighbour in the last year, as it seeks allies against the backdrop of its dragging offensive on Ukraine. “Our contacts in the military and military-technology spheres are becoming increasingly important,” Putin told Zhang Youxia, a high-ranking general and vice chairman of Beijing’s Central Military Commission. In televised remarks, the Russian president said Moscow and Beijing were not building a Cold War-style “military alliance”, but said cooperation between them is “a serious factor…