China has invited Russian troops to march in a September parade in Beijing to commemorate the end of World War II, the Defense Ministry said Monday, a move likely to further put off Western leaders from attending.
China has been coy about which countries it plans to invite to the parade, but says it will likely invite representatives from the Western Allies who fought with China during the war.
President Xi Jinping could be left standing on the stage with few top Western officials, however, diplomats said, due to Western governments concerns over a range of issues, including the expected presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin.