China staged its largest-ever military parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, underscoring both its expanding military capabilities and President Xi Jinping’s broader aspirations to recast China as a central pillar of a new post-U.S. world order.

The event, which commemorated the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II, was marked by extensive symbolism, global political signalling, and highly choreographed displays of power.

Xi Jinping, dressed in a Mao-style suit to invoke continuity with the legacy of the Chinese Communist Party’s revolutionary past, received a red-carpet welcome alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The optics of Xi positioned between two of Washington’s biggest adversaries were a deliberate message of unity against Western dominance.

The parade attracted over 50,000 spectators, who witnessed a 70-minute showcase of meticulously coordinated military hardware, including hypersonic missile systems, advanced armed drones, and next-generation tanks—clear indicators of China’s rapid modernisation of its People’s Liberation Army.

The spectacle followed weeks of intensive security preparations, midnight rehearsals, and sweeping citywide closures, highlighting Beijing’s determination to present flawless strength and discipline on the global stage. Xi’s keynote address, delivered from atop the iconic Gate of Heavenly Peace under the gaze of Mao Zedong’s portrait, emphasised both the historical significance of World War II and China’s role in defeating fascism alongside Soviet Russia. He tied these legacies to his vision of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” framing China as the rightful custodian of stability in the evolving international order.

A striking element was Xi’s subtle but pointed criticism of Western powers, particularly the United States. His earlier remarks at a regional security summit, calling for solidarity against “hegemonism and power politics,” reappeared in the narrative of the parade, suggesting a push toward rallying non-Western nations behind China’s alternative global framework.

This positioning comes at a time of heightened trade tensions and strategic rivalry with Washington, especially under President Donald Trump’s "America First" policies and tariff wars. Interestingly, Trump publicly downplayed the parade’s challenge to the U.S., claiming to enjoy a strong personal relationship with Xi while reiterating America’s economic advantage.

The parade also served multiple diplomatic and political purposes for Beijing. Putin leveraged the occasion to cement deeper energy deals with China, further binding the two powers amid mutual confrontations with the West.

For North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, the event was particularly historic as he became the first North Korean leader in 66 years to attend a Chinese military parade. His presence, alongside the debut of his daughter Ju Ae on the international stage, signalled both a consolidation of his regime’s international ties and the projection of dynastic continuity in Pyongyang’s leadership. Kim’s attendance can also be seen as a diplomatic coup, potentially securing implicit Chinese and Russian acknowledgment of his nuclear ambitions, still globally condemned but central to his domestic legitimacy.

Domestically, the parade was a demonstration of Xi’s grip on power as he seeks to consolidate his political authority ahead of key Party milestones. Tens of thousands of Communist Party members and volunteers were mobilised nationwide to prevent unrest, emphasising the state’s fixation on internal security during such high-profile events.

Analysts view the event as a carefully orchestrated reaffirmation of the military’s loyalty to Xi, a critical element as he continues to centralise authority in his leadership and strengthen his narrative of China’s “rejuvenation.” The visual spectacle of advanced weaponry, parading troops, and the presence of strategic global partners served as a reassurance to domestic audiences and a warning to foreign adversaries of China’s rising capabilities.

At its core, the Victory Day parade was more than a commemoration of the past—it was a geopolitical performance designed to project China’s growing influence, demonstrate its military modernisation, and challenge the American-led global order.

Flanked by Putin and Kim, Xi used historical memory, military symbolism, and diplomatic theatre to portray Beijing as the central hub of an emerging non-Western alliance, one rooted in resistance to U.S. dominance. While framed as a celebration of victory against fascism, the event unmistakably served Xi’s long-term ambition of positioning China as the leader of an alternative world order—militarily strong, ideologically unified, and geopolitically assertive.

Based On Reuters Report