On Tuesday last week, China released the guest list of foreign dignitaries that were to attend yesterday’s military extravaganza.
Most of the heads of state on that list were from former communist countries, many of which are Central Asian nations that gained their statehood after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. China’s face hinges on the number of heads of state that turned out and how much weight they all carry. Domestically, China can exercise fascism, but internationally, diplomacy is needed.