HONG KONG (AP) — The leaders of 26 countries 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 skipped the event and countries like South Korea and Singapore sent lower-level officials. But Xi’s guest list showed Beijing’s growing influence in

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