Chinese President Xi Jinping projected defiance at a once-a-decade military parade, showcasing the nation's growing firepower and diplomatic influence alongside his closest international allies. The Chinese leader stood flanked by Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un on Beijing's Tiananmen Gate, watching over the vast square as formations of goose-stepping soldiers marched in unison and a new generation of tanks and missile launchers rumbled past. While Xi's speech did not name