MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin says there is no need for a Russia-China military alliance now but the idea of a future one can't be ruled out.

Putin was asked during a video conference with international foreign policy experts Thursday if a military union between Moscow and Beijing was possible. He replied that “theoretically, it’s quite possible to imagine it.”

Russia and China have hailed their “strategic partnership,” but so far rejected any talk about the possibility of their forming a military alliance.

Putin noted that Russia has been sharing highly sensitive military technologies China that helped significantly bolster China's defense capability, but didn’t mention any specifics, saying the information is sensitive.