China: President Xi Jinping inspects troops at WWII parade

Chinese President Xi Jinping inspected troops at the opening of Beijing's military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and China's victory in the War of Resistance against Japan in Tiananmen Square, Thursday. Around 12,000 troops, 500 military vehicles and over 200 military aircraft will take part in the parade, which is likely to last for about 70 minutes. Around 50 representatives of foreign governments, including over a dozen heads of state and government, will attend the parade. Leaders of Western nations and NATO member states declined their invitations and will be represented by lower-ranking officials. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also declined his invitation. Alongside Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-hye, South African President Jacob Zuma, Czech President Miloš Zeman, and Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain will also be present, alongside leaders of the four Central Asian states that are part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).