BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping staged a powerful display of military strength in Beijing, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, in a parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.
The grand military spectacle at Tiananmen Square highlighted China’s newest generation of weaponry, including hypersonic and nuclear-capable missiles, AI-driven armored vehicles, and advanced drones.
Xi used the occasion to declare that China’s rise is “unstoppable,” framing the global landscape as a choice between “peace or war, dialogue or confrontation.”
The presence of Putin and Kim underscored the event’s geopolitical weight. Both leaders remain isolated from the West—Putin over Russia’s war in Ukraine and Kim due to North Korea’s nuclear ambitions. Their participation, alongside Xi, was seen as a symbolic alignment of powers challenging Western dominance.
Notably, no Western leaders were invited, signaling Beijing’s defiant posture amid growing tensions with Washington and its allies. Analysts say the parade not only boosted national pride at home but also projected the image of an emerging anti-Western bloc on the world stage.
The lavish display, combining historical commemoration with cutting-edge military technology, reinforced Xi’s message that China intends to stand at the center of global power in the years ahead.–Reuters
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