As the world’s eyes turn toward Asia this September, China is preparing for a Victory Day Parade in Beijing that is set to be one of the most significant diplomatic and military displays of the year. Scheduled for September 3, 2025, the event will commemorate the 80th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression during World War II, as well as the broader global fight against fascism. The timing is no accident: the parade follows immediately after the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, which will take place on August 31 and September 1, ensuring that a host of global leaders are already present in the country.
According to Chinese officials, the commemorations will feature a large-scale military parade, intended not only to honor wartime sacrifices but also to showcase China’s growing defense capabilities. Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei emphasized the dual purpose of the event, noting that it is both a nod to history and a statement about China’s role in shaping the future of global geopolitics. The parade will be attended by 26 foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, all invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping. In addition, senior representatives from more than 10 international organizations, such as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, are expected to be in attendance, further elevating the international profile of the celebrations.
With so many world leaders gathered, the event is poised to become a stage for geopolitical signaling as much as historical remembrance. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected participation in the SCO summit—and his potential presence at the parade—has drawn particular attention, given India’s pivotal role in regional affairs. The strategic scheduling of the parade to coincide with the summit underscores Beijing’s intent to maximize international participation and project itself as a central force in both regional and global affairs.
Yet, not everyone is celebrating. The planned parade has sparked a fresh diplomatic row between China and Japan. Japanese authorities have expressed strong displeasure at the event, arguing that it carries anti-Japan sentiments and could reinforce negative historical narratives about Japan’s wartime role. Through their embassies, Japanese officials have urged world leaders to skip the parade, hoping to avoid the revival of old wounds at a time when Tokyo is striving to strengthen its international image. In response, Beijing has lodged a diplomatic protest, accusing Japan of attempting to distort history by discouraging international participation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiaqun was blunt in his criticism, stating, “If Japan really wants to resolve historical issues, it should honestly face its aggressive past, break completely with militarism, follow the path of peaceful development, and respect the feelings of China and other countries once subjected to Japanese oppression.” The clash highlights how the memory of World War II remains a powerful and divisive force in East Asian diplomacy, shaping not only how nations view their pasts but also how they interact in the present.
For China, the Victory Day Parade is more than a military spectacle. It is a reaffirmation of national identity—a reminder of the country’s suffering and resilience in the face of aggression, and a statement of its emergence as a global power. For Japan, the event stirs uncomfortable questions about historical accountability and diplomatic isolation. The parade, with its prominent international guest list and military pomp, has become a focal point for broader debates about power, memory, and the shifting dynamics of the 21st century.
Meanwhile, the global conversation about war and peace is hardly limited to East Asia. On June 23, 2025, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro issued a call for a “Summit for Peace and against War” in response to military offensives by the United States and Israel in West Asia. In his letter to world leaders, Maduro urged organizations of the Global South—including the Non-Aligned Movement, League of Arab States, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Gulf Cooperation Council, African Union, BRICS, and CELAC—to lead efforts for an immediate and complete ceasefire in the region, with crucial support from China and Russia. He also proposed the creation of a “Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in West Asia,” to be guaranteed by the United Nations Security Council and including the denuclearization of Israel.
This call for peace found resonance in Caracas on July 25, when nearly 600 delegates from 80 countries gathered to support diplomatic solutions over military escalation. The Political Coordination of ALBA Movements, present at the meeting, emphasized the urgency of recognizing the underlying conflict as “a dispute between the ideas of liberation and the ideas of domination.” The assembly echoed the Bolivarian concept of peace: one that is comprehensive, sustainable, and inseparable from social justice.
Maduro’s letter also insisted that peace in West Asia must address the Palestinian question, with full recognition of Palestinian statehood and the right of refugees to return. This stance links contemporary conflicts to the historical struggles against fascism and colonialism, as 2025 also marks 80 years since the defeat of fascism in World War II—a victory that, as many in the Global South argue, remains incomplete as long as new forms of domination and violence persist.
But while Venezuela champions peace on the world stage, it faces its own challenges. On August 8, 2025, the U.S. Treasury Department declared President Maduro the head of the so-called Cartel de los Soles and raised the reward for his capture to $50 million, intensifying accusations of drug trafficking and terrorism. The New York Times reported that then-President Donald Trump had signed a directive for military action against certain Latin American drug cartels, further escalating tensions. Venezuelan officials, however, dismiss these actions as politically motivated, pointing to the country’s increased drug seizures—over 50,000 kilograms in 2025 alone—since the expulsion of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
In July, Venezuela and Colombia announced a Binational Economic Zone aimed at fostering commercial integration, agricultural development, and cooperation against drug trafficking—without U.S. mediation. Colombian President Gustavo Petro expressed support for this collaboration, stating, “I have received the support of Maduro and General Padrino to defeat the drug trafficking groups on the border of that country.” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also dismissed attempts to link Maduro with Mexican drug traffickers, challenging accusers to present evidence.
Despite international pressures, Venezuela recently held its seventh national election in a year. On July 27, 37,000 communal projects were presented, many driven by youth, reflecting a push for grassroots participation and social transformation. As the world grapples with the legacy of past wars and the threats of new ones, the struggle for peace, justice, and sovereignty remains as urgent as ever.
From Beijing’s grand parade to Caracas’s calls for peace, the events of 2025 serve as a reminder that the battles over memory, power, and justice are far from over. Each nation, it seems, is determined to shape the narrative—and the future—in its own way.