A look at the world leaders joining China’s military parade in a show of solidarity with Beijing

By KANIS LEUNG
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — The leaders of 26 countries and other foreign representatives joined Chinese President Xi Jinping to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II with a military parade in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, in a show of solidarity among nations friendly to Beijing.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who made a rare foreign trip to attend, flanked Xi as they ascended to the viewing platform overlooking Tiananmen Square and watched the display of military hardware and marching troops. Observers say the joint appearance was a show of unity against the United States.

Leaders from the U.S., Western Europe, Japan and India were not present at the event and countries like South Korea and Singapore sent lower-level officials. But Xi’s guest list showed Beijing’s growing influence in the Global South and other emerging economies.

Here’s a glance at Xi’s guests:

US adversaries

Joining Putin and Kim included Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, all considered U.S. adversaries. Russia’s close ally Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko walked next to Kim after taking group pictures with other leaders.

Putin and Kim chatted animatedly with Xi as they climbed up the stairs to the viewing platform. As they walked on the red carpet after taking group pictures, Xi said “Long time, no see” to Kim through an interpreter.

The sight of these leaders, with Xi, appeared to observers as a challenge to a U.S.-led international order.

Leaders from Asia, Africa and the Americas

Asia accounted for the majority of national leaders at the event.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who initially canceled his trip to China due to protests at home, made it to Beijing and took part in the event with his counterparts in Southeast Asia, such as Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, Vietnamese President Luong Cuong and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Myanmar’s military leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith also joined the event.

Also attending from South Asia were Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nepali Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, and Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu. From Central Asia came Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdimuhamedow. Mongolia’s President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa also came.

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and the Republic of Congo’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso were also on the guest list.

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was the only leader from the Americas to attend.

Other guests were Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev and Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The guest list had heavy overlap with the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization days earlier, but there were some notable departures before the parade, including representatives from India and Turkey.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted warm words about meetings with Xi and Putin on social media platform X. He posted a picture of himself and Putin traveling together with him, saying that “conversations with him are always insightful,” and wrote that he had a “fruitful meeting” with Xi.

Most European leaders stayed away

Other than Putin and Lukashenko, few European leaders attended the parade. Serbia sent Russia-friendly President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovakia sent Prime Minister Robert Fico.

But former Romanian prime ministers Adrian Năstase and Viorica Dăncilă took the group picture with current leaders.

Other former foreign leaders were also on the guest list, including former New Zealand prime ministers Helen Clark and John Key, as well as Daniel Andrews, the former premier of the Australian state of Victoria.

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Associated Press researcher Shihuan Chen in Beijing contributed to this report.