China 'unstoppable', says Xi with Kim, Putin at his side

China’s President Xi Jinping (C), North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un (R) and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (L) arrive for a reception in the Great Hall of the People, following a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on September 3, 2025. [AFP]

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin flanked Xi Jinping at a massive parade of military might 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.