China has showcased its latest military hardware in a huge Beijing parade, watched by world leaders including North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

Members of the public gathered from the crack of dawn on Wednesday at the capital’s Tiananmen Square – the entrance gate of the historical Forbidden City and the focal point of President Xi Jinping’s show of force to the world.

Guests posed with wide smiles for photos with their parade invitations against the backdrop of Tiananmen, which was adorned with national flags of China and thousands of red and green seats set up for the occasion.

Giant, golden numerals “1945” and “2025” were erected on the square – a reminder of the 80 years that have passed since the end of World War II and Japan’s surrender.

Military bands blasted their trumpets in unison as soldiers marched in the square.

In rarely seen moments, Xi was pictured shaking hands and chatting with Kim and Putin as they walked over for a group photograph with the other foreign leaders.

Dressed in a dark grey Mao suit, Xi stood in an open-topped black limousine as it drove past troops standing at attention along the wide Chang’an Avenue.

“Comrades, you are working hard!” he shouted repeatedly into four microphones, before joining his guests, including Putin and Kim, in a grandstand above the iconic portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen.

The ceremony took place in bright sunshine, with temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius (mid-90s Fahrenheit), which proved difficult for many spectators, who sweated profusely in the unshaded stands. Some who felt unwell left with the help of staff.

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Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), rocket launchers, and battle tanks were paraded past the dignitaries; soldiers marched with precise, coordinated steps in tight formations.