A new laser weapon and a nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile were among weapons China revealed during a parade in Beijing which demonstrated its military might and sent a statement of intent to the West.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was joined by around 20 world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Il, in Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.

Among the hardware on show were the LY-1 shipborne laser weapon system and the DF-5C liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM).

Craig Singleton, senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Newsweek the event showcased China's growing convening power, its maturing military kit and signals its "tightening authorit

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