Intro

Tens of thousands of spectators packed the stands to witness Xi Jinping’s military parade marking 80 years since the defeat of Japan in the second world war. And watching from above, along the Chinese leader, were some of the world’s most powerful men, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. The parade follows diplomatic meetings with other non-western leaders, including India’s Narendra Modi.Helen Davidson talks to Nour Haydar about why Xi has invited some of the world’s most powerful men to China – and how these alliances are reshaping our world