Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto joined 25 other world leaders at China’s largest military parade on Wednesday, as the Indonesian leader sought to remain close with the Asian superpower.

Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted his foreign counterparts to show them the giant arsenal that the country possesses at the major televised event taking place at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un were the guests of honor. Xi had over 10,000 troops and hundreds of advanced weapons on display to mark 80 years since Japan’s defeat at the end of World War II.

Prabowo was seen watching the spectacle right next to Putin. During the group photo session, Prabowo stood in the front row together with Xi, Putin, and Kim.

This was not the first foreign military parade that Prabowo was part of this year. Back in July, French President Emmanuel Macron invited the ex-army general to Bastille Day, where the Indonesian military made its debut at the parade. Top trading partner China has been nudging Indonesia to purchase its J-10 fighter jets. Just a few months ago, Indonesia inked the contract to buy 48 of the Turkish-made KAAN fighter jets, reflecting Prabowo’s military modernization aim.

Prabowo had originally scrapped the Beijing trip over the unrest happening across Indonesian major cities. He even sent his chief diplomat Sugiono to go to the earlier Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on his behalf. The Indonesian leader, however, changed his mind at the very last minute, and jetted off to Beijing on Tuesday evening. State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi said that the Chinese government had insisted on Prabowo participating at the parade, while adding that the unrest in the country had calmed down.

“He [Prabowo] has received reports that people are gradually returning to normal lives. And so, Mr. President [Prabowo] decided to go there to maintain good relations with China,” Prasetyo said.

Prabowo is expected to be back in Indonesia on Wednesday night.