North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin flanked Xi Jinping at a massive parade in Beijing on Wednesday, capping a week of diplomatic grandstanding by the Chinese president and his allies against the West.

In unprecedented scenes, Xi shook both their hands and chatted with the pair as they walked down a red carpet by Tiananmen Square, with Putin to Xi’s right and Kim to his left.

The 90-minute event, ostensibly to mark 80 years since the end of World War II, was a chance for Xi to put on an extravaganza to showcase China’s military prowess and bring together friendly leaders to send a message to the rest of the world.

Kicking off the parade, President Xi warned the world was still “faced with a choice of peace or war”, but said China was “unstoppable”.

The heavily ch

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