President Vladimir Putin praised growing military relations with Beijing on Wednesday as he met a senior Chinese general in Moscow.

Russia has strengthened ties with its Chinese neighbor in the last year, as it looks for allies amid its ongoing offensive on Ukraine.

“Our contacts in the military and military-technology spheres are becoming more and more important,” Putin said to Zhang Youxia, a top general and vice chairman of Beijing’s Central Military Commission.

On TV, the Russian president said Moscow and Beijing were not forming a Cold War-style “military alliance,” but said their cooperation is “a serious factor stabilizing the global situation.”

He said the United States was increasing its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, and that Russia and China would respond “calmly, carefully and by strengthening our defense capabilities.”

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had earlier greeted Zhang and a Chinese military delegation in a red-carpet ceremony in the Russian capital.

Zhang said to Putin he had come to Russia “to boost military-technical cooperation,” according to a translation of a broadcast on Russian state TV.

His visit followed Putin’s rare trip to Beijing three weeks ago.

Beijing has become Russia’s main political and economic ally as Moscow faces isolation on the world stage, and Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping have shown a united front against the West.

The two countries signed a “no limits” strategic partnership just days before Russia’s offensive on Ukraine last February, and have held several rounds of joint military drills since.