Leaders from countries united in their opposition to the west will gather in Beijing this week in a show of support for China's president, Xi Jinping, at a second world war commemoration parade designed to show off China's military strength and geopolitical might. Described by western analysts as the axis of upheaval, the military, economic and political collaboration between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea has been on display on the battlefield in Ukraine and in the Middle East this year.