China military parade guest list: which leaders stood with Xi, who skipped

President Xi Jinping hosted over 25 global leaders in Beijing for the China military parade, marking the 80th anniversary of World War II.

The two guests of honor were Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, who stood next to Xi on Tiananmen Gate, giving a powerful visual reminder of the Cold War alliances.

Key attendees include:

• President Vladimir Putin (Russia)
• Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un (North Korea)
• Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (Armenia)
• President Ilham Aliyev (Azerbaijan)
• President Alexander Lukashenko (Belarus)
• King Norodom Sihamoni (Cambodia)
• President Miguel Díaz‑Canel (Cuba)
• President Prabowo Subianto (Indonesia)
• President Masoud Pezeshkian (Iran)
• President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev (Kazakhstan)
• President Sadyr Japarov (Kyrgyzstan)
• President Thongloun Sisoulith (Laos)
• Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (Malaysia)
• President Mohamed Muizzu (Maldives)
• President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa (Mongolia)
• Acting President Min Aung Hlaing (Myanmar)
• Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli (Nepal)
• Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (Pakistan)
• President Denis Sassou Nguesso (Republic of the Congo)
• President Aleksandar Vučić (Serbia)
• Prime Minister Robert Fico (Slovakia)
• President Emomali Rahmon (Tajikistan)
• President Serdar Berdimuhamedov (Turkmenistan)
• President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (Uzbekistan)
• President Luong Cuong (Vietnam)
• President Emmerson Mnangagwa (Zimbabwe)

Notably absent representatives were from:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• South Korea
• Poland
• Czech Republic

This year, the guest list is limited to only 26 foreign representatives, down from 30 in 2015.

It is also significant to note that representatives from Poland and the Czech Republic, who were invited in 2015 are replaced with Serbia and Slovakia.

Southeast Asian leaders such as those from Indonesia and Malaysia, graced the event with their presence showcasing China's increasing power in the region.

The countries of Brazil, Egypt and South Korea instead chose to send envoys.