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Sept. 9 (UPI) -- A Chinese delegation and members of a Russian military dance troupe were among the thousands watching a military parade in North Korea Friday marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the country. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was front and center at the event alongside his daughter, the state-run Korean Central News Agency reported.
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The parade began shortly before midnight.
Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong represented Beijing at the event, according to KCNA. Russia did not send a formal delegation, but visiting members of a Russian Army's military song and dance troupe did attend the military-style parade, complete with flyovers by the country's air force.
North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missiles were not on display during the parade, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported.
North Korean military jets flew in formation to form the number 75 to commemorate the anniversary.
Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the North Korean leader Saturday.
"The brotherly DPRK people will surely continuously advance the socialist cause of the country for new development and lift it to a new level," Xi said, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The event came on the heels of North Korea's unveiling of a naval submarine on Wednesday that the country says is capable of launching nuclear ballistic missiles.
Kim is expected to travel to Vladivostok in Russia's far-east next week to meet with President Vladimir Putin.
Russia in July sent a delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Pyeongchang to meet with Kim. Shoigu at the time reportedly offered to organize joint military exercises with China, Russia and North Korea.
The July visit came as North Korea celebrated the 70th anniversary of the signing of the armistice to end the Korean War.
