MOSCOW: A grand military parade in Beijing. 80 years since the victory over Japanese militarism and the end of World War II. Vladimir Putin is the main guest of the celebrations. China demonstrated its strategic nuclear triad for the first time. Weapons that will be discussed around the world for a long time. Not only power, but also beauty. 80 thousand doves of peace, 80 thousand balloons.
The event, held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat at the end of World War II, was shunned by Western leaders
Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the country's largest ever military parade on Wednesday, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
A large-scale military parade was held in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and in World War II. The main guest of the event was Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The parade on Tiananmen Square began at 9:20 (4:20 Moscow time) and lasted 70 minutes. It involved 45 military units. 26 heads of foreign states and governments took part in the commemorative events. Putin sat to the right of Chinese President Xi Jinping, with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on the left.
Leaders from the US, Western Europe, Japan and India skipped the event and countries like South Korea and Singapore sent lower-level officials. But Xi's guest list showed Beijing's growing influence in the global south and other emerging economies.
In an address at Tiananmen Square to over 50,000 spectators, President Xi declared that humanity is at a crossroads, facing a choice between "peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum."
He added that the Chinese people "stand on the right side of history” and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation was "unstoppable".
The 70-minute showcase was designed to project China's military might and diplomatic influence.
President Xi, dressed in a tunic suit in the style of former leader Mao Zedong, inspected troops and military equipment from an open-top limousine.
The parade featured an array of advanced weaponry, including hypersonic missiles, underwater drones, and a weaponised 'robot wolf'.
The event culminated with a flyover of helicopters and fighter jets in formation, followed by the release of 80,000 'peace' birds.
The presence of Putin and Kim, who are considered pariahs in the West due to the Ukraine war and North Korea's nuclear ambitions, was a notable feature of the parade.
The event has led to speculation about closer defense relations between Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang, following a pact signed by Russia and North Korea in June 2024.
Observers are watching for a similar alliance between Beijing and Pyongyang, an outcome that could change the military balance in the Asia Pacific region.
Speaking at a reception after the parade, Xi told guests that humanity must avoid a return to the "law of the jungle."
Taiwan, which China views as its own, urged its citizens not to attend the parade, warning that it could bolster Beijing's territorial claims.
Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te stated that his country does not commemorate peace "with a barrel of a gun."
Analysts said the parade was aimed at galvanizing a patriotic spirit at home and deflecting attention from internal issues.
Jon Czin, a foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution, noted that the parade allows Xi to highlight China's military modernisation while "overshadowing the stubborn challenges afflicting the PLA."
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