Beijing, China - Flanked by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade on Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping declared his country "unstoppable."

Xi shook Putin and Kim's hands and chatted with the pair as they walked down a red carpet by Tiananmen Square, ahead of a massive military parade to mark 80 years since the end of World War II in the Pacific.

The event has been touted as a chance for Xi to showcase China's military prowess and bring together leaders friendly to China, sending a message to the rest of the world.

In a speech to kick off the parade, Xi warned that the world was still "faced with a choice of peace or war," and declared that China is "unstoppable."

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During the 90-minute parade, Xi inspected the massed troops and weaponry from an open-topped limousine down Beijing's vast Chang'an Avenue.

He then turned back to join his guests in a seating area above the iconic portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen, the entrance gate of the historic Forbidden City.

China's enormous new intercontinental ballistic missile DF-5C, with a range of 12,400 miles, was a highlight amid the tonnes of military hardware on display.

The event was the climax of a whirlwind week for Xi, who hosted a slew of Eurasian leaders for a summit aimed at putting China front and center of regional relations.

During the summit, Xi slammed "bullying behavior" from certain countries – a veiled reference to the US – while Putin defended Russia's war on Ukraine and blamed the West for triggering the conflict.

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Security around Beijing was tightened, with road closures, military personnel stationed on bridges and street corners, and miles upon miles of white barriers lining the capital's wide boulevards.

China has touted the parade as a show of unity, and Kim Jong-un's attendance after arriving on a train on Tuesday is the first time he has been seen with Xi and Putin at the same event, as well as only his second known trip abroad in six years.

Putin and Kim held talks after Wednesday's parade, during which the Russian president thanked Kim for deployments of North Korean soldiers to aid Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.