They roll down Beijing streets, covered from prying eyes by huge tarpaulins, but the silhouettes of missiles, tanks and undersea vehicles are unmistakable as China prepares for its most revealing military parade in six years.

A Chinese national has been sentenced to eight years in prison for smuggling firearms and other military items to North Korea, the US justice department has said. Shenghua Wen, 42, received around $2m (£1.5m) from North Korean officials to ship the items from California, according to a statement from the agency on Monday.