Beijing’s Tiananmen Square became the stage for a massive military parade, where China showcased its cutting-edge weaponry for the first time, signaling its growing global influence and military prowess. The event, commemorating the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japanese forces in World War II, drew 26 world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and heads of state from Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, and Central Asian nations. Notable attendees from India’s neighborhood included Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, alongside his wife Peng Liyuan, personally welcomed the foreign dignitaries to the tightly choreographed 70-minute spectacle. The parade featured hundreds of troops, advanced jet fighters, hypersonic missiles, drones, and state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems, many of which were revealed to the public for the first time. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) emphasized that all displayed equipment, including the YJ-series anti-ship missiles and the combat-ready FH-97 stealth drone, is domestically produced and actively deployed, showcasing China’s technological advancements in modern warfare.
The presence of Xi, Putin, and Kim together sent a bold message to the United States and its allies, particularly amid tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration, which has sought to engage both Russia and North Korea. This display of unity followed the recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, where Xi and Putin met with leaders like India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, navigating complex geopolitical dynamics exacerbated by Trump’s 50% tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil.
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The parade also sparked diplomatic friction, as Japan urged world leaders to boycott the event, citing China’s narrative of the “War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.” China responded with a formal protest, accusing Tokyo of interfering in its commemorative activities.
Beijing transformed into a fortress for the event, with heightened security measures, including checkpoints and road closures around Tiananmen Square. Thousands of troops, over 100 aircraft, and hundreds of ground vehicles participated, reflecting the PLA’s focus on high-tech warfare domains like cyberspace, hypersonic systems, and unmanned vehicles. The parade, livestreamed to millions and trending heavily on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo, aimed to instill national pride and project China’s military as a “world-class” force capable of rivaling the U.S. military.
Analysts see the event as a strategic move by Xi to bolster his global image and assert China’s role in a multipolar world order, particularly amid regional tensions in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea. The parade, attended by a global press corps, underscored China’s intent to demonstrate its military and diplomatic clout on the world stage.
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