Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stood publicly shoulder to shoulder for the first time on Wednesday, ahead of a massive military parade in central Beijing.
That parade, which marked 80 years since China's victory over Japan in World War Two, saw Beijing unveiling a range of new military hardware – including a new nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile, a new road-bound missile for delivering hypersonic weapons, a new laser weapon, and even robotic dog drones.
It comes at a time when Xi seeks to project Beijing's power on the international stage - not just as the world's second-largest economy, but also as a counterweight to the United States.
Five BBC correspondents assess the significance of Wednesday's parade – what it means and what the spectacle tells us about the 'new world order'.
An enduring image for China - and the world
By Laura Bicker, China correspondent
Among the enduring images of this military parade was President Xi welcoming North Korea's Kim Jong Un with a long handshake, before greeting Russia's Vladimir Putin. This meeting of leaders grabbed the attention of observers worldwide and was a clear signal of political unity aimed squarely at the United States.
Trump's out, Xi's in - and what that means for the West
By James Landale, diplomatic correspondent
China's show of geopolitical and military power this week will hardly surprise Western leaders. President Xi has long sought to reposition himself at the center of a new world order that supplants the post-World War Two global system. The rapidity of China's rise and its filling of the vacuum left by America's retreat from international norms poses a significant challenge for the West.
Weapons that worry the West
By Frank Gardiner, security correspondent
The parade featured an array of military hardware that has raised concerns among Pentagon experts and defense officials globally. From advanced hypersonic missiles to underwater drones, China's military modernisation aims to catch up, if not surpass, the capabilities of the United States.
This display was not merely celebratory; it marked China's ambition to reshape global military power dynamics. As the nation's military capabilities rapidly expand, the potential challenge they pose to established powers like the U.S. is palpable.
