Beijing —

Xi Jinping staged a staggering show of China’s military power on Wednesday before some of the world’s most powerful authoritarian leaders, rallying them behind his vision for a new world order as US President Donald Trump wages a global trade war and shakes up American alliances.

From atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing, Xi presided over a 70-minute parade to mark the end of World War II – flanked by a strongman waging Europe’s bloodiest conflict since 1945 and an Asian leader funneling him troops and weapons.

To many in the West, the defining image of the spectacle is not the parade of stealth fighter jets, nuclear-capable missiles or troops marching in perfect synchrony – but the sight of Xi, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un standing side by side, in an unprecedente

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