A global affairs expert says there was a clear difference in the guest list at China's military parade today, compared with previous years.

Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin joined Chinese President Xi Jinping for the World War Two commemorations.

Former Prime Ministers Sir John Key and Helen Clark were also there.

Geopolitical analyst Geoffrey Miller says previous parades had lots of western leaders.

He explained the global south was over-represented, with leaders from Africa, Asia and former soviet republics.

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