Under a blazing September sun in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, a spectacle unfolded that sent ripples far beyond China’s borders. On September 3, 2025, Chinese leader Xi Jinping presided over a massive military parade, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The event, staged to commemorate the end of World War II and China’s victory over Japanese aggression, was more than a historical remembrance—it was a bold assertion of China’s growing role on the world stage, both militarily and geopolitically.
Some 50,000 spectators filled the square, waving Chinese flags as jumbotrons broadcast the proceedings. State media beamed the event into homes across China and around the globe, while Western capitals watched with a mix of concern and intrigue. The parade’s guest list was a who’s who of leaders from countries often at odds with the West: Iran, Pakistan, Belarus, Myanmar, and, notably, Putin and Kim. Even Kim’s daughter, Ju Ae, widely seen as his potential successor, made the journey to Beijing. According to CNN, the optics were unmistakable—Xi was orchestrating a show of force and unity among nations challenging the US-led order.
The parade itself was a display of China’s rapid military modernization. Nuclear-capable missiles, underwater drones, stealth warplanes, and hypersonic technology rolled down the Avenue of Eternal Peace. Combat drones and laser weapons underscored China’s ambitions to match, if not surpass, the world’s top military powers. As The Guardian and Sky News reported, the event was quickly labeled in the West as a “parade of autocrats,” an “autocrats alliance,” and a deliberate provocation aimed at the United States and its allies.
US President Donald Trump, notably absent from the guest list, took to social media to voice his disapproval, writing, “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.” The sarcasm was clear, but so was the sense of unease in Washington and other Western capitals. The parade, with its goose-stepping troops and imposing weaponry, was a pointed reminder of China’s growing ability to project hard power.
Yet, Xi Jinping’s message was one of choice—not just for China, but for all of humanity. “Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games,” Xi declared in his speech, broadcast across the square and around the world. He called for nations to “treat each other as equals, coexist in peace, and support each other” to “uphold common security” and “eradicate the root cause of war.” According to The New York Times, Xi laid the blame for current global tensions at the feet of the “Cold War mentality, bloc confrontation and bullying practices”—a barely veiled critique of American foreign policy.
Beyond the military hardware and political theater, the parade served a deeper purpose. Earlier in the week, Xi had closed a regional summit in Tianjin by unveiling a “global governance initiative.” This plan, as described by Wang Yiwei of Renmin University, aims to reshape international systems—spanning finance, trade, technology, and climate policy—to be more democratic and inclusive of the Global South. The initiative, which supports a stronger United Nations, is a rallying point for nations feeling sidelined by what they see as a Western-dominated order.
“Global governance is not just focused on security but also finance—SWIFT system, sanctions, trade, AI governance, ocean governance, climate change … and we need to make the Global South have more say and power at the UN,” Wang told CNN. Observers say this strategy is designed to dilute US power and give China-friendly states greater influence, potentially shifting the international balance in ways that favor Beijing’s interests, including its designs on Taiwan.
For Xi, the presence of Putin and Kim by his side was a calculated move. It signaled a united front against US hegemony, even as it raised alarms in the West. Edward Howell, a lecturer at the University of Oxford, cautioned that dismissing the ties between China, Russia, and North Korea would be “naive and dangerous.” Their “common opposition to the US,” he said, opens the door to greater collaboration in trade, weapons, and technology, all with the aim of undermining the US-led international order.
The parade also played a domestic role. As China grapples with a slowing economy and persistent unemployment, the display of military might served to rally nationalism and strengthen public support for the ruling Communist Party. Tong Zhao, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, noted, “The parade serves not only to demonstrate power abroad but also to rally nationalism at home and strengthen public support in face of economic headwinds.”
Western media coverage, as noted by outlets like The Guardian and The New York Times, focused on the authoritarian credentials of the assembled leaders and the implications for global democracy. Yet, the message within China—and among many non-Western attendees—was one of pride and unity. The release of 80,000 doves and 80,000 balloons at the parade’s end symbolized peace and the country’s commitment to a “shared future for humanity.”
Still, the juxtaposition of Xi’s calls for peace with the backdrop of nuclear missiles and warplanes left many observers uneasy. The parade’s timing, amid strained US-China relations and ongoing tensions over Taiwan and the South China Sea, underscored the potential for rivalry and confrontation. “At that time, China’s aim is to be neck-to-neck with the US military. Then, of course, you have another dilemma: how can you prove that you have a world-class military without being combat tested?” mused Senior Col. (ret) Zhou Bo of Tsinghua University, reflecting on China’s ambitions for 2049.
As the world digests the images from Beijing, one thing is certain: China wants to be seen as a global leader, capable of shaping the international order and defending its interests. Whether that future is defined by cooperation or confrontation remains an open question. The choice, as Xi put it, is between “peace or war”—not just for China, but for the world.