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From left: Russian president Vladimir Putin, Chinese president Xi Jinping, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un,  and Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif arrive at a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan's  Second World War surrender held in front of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, China, on Wednesday. Picture: Alexander Kazakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP

The Chinese government’s celebration marking the 80th anniversary of its victory over Imperial Japan and the accompanying military parade was, even by the standards of a superpower, a jaw-dropping event.

Firstly, the military display in Beijing packed a hell of a punch. From hypersonic missiles (technology in which China leads the US), to enormous underwater drones shaped like torpedoes and laser defence systems, this was a watershed moment — military analysts around the world could not but be impressed.