On September 3, 2025, the world’s attention turned to Beijing, where China staged its largest-ever military parade, officially commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War II. Yet, as observers from around the globe watched tanks and missile carriers roll through Tiananmen Square, the event’s true message was unmistakable: China is staking its claim as a new superpower, offering a clear alternative to the American-led world order that has dominated the past century.
In a striking display of authoritarian unity, Chinese President Xi Jinping was joined by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un—marking the first time all three have appeared together in public. According to BBC, more than two dozen other heads of state and senior officials attended, signaling the global significance of the occasion. The parade was not only a showcase of high-tech weaponry and precision marching, but also a carefully crafted narrative: China is ready to rewrite the rules of the international game.
Behind the scenes, Xi and Putin signed over 20 bilateral cooperation documents, including a major new gas pipeline deal that will boost Russian exports—vital for financing its ongoing war in Ukraine. The agreement underscored the growing economic and strategic ties between Moscow and Beijing. As reported by News Not Noise, Xi warned that the world faces “turbulence and change” and called for “a more just and reasonable global governance system”—a thinly veiled critique of the U.S.-led status quo.
Putin was quick to highlight the strength of the relationship, declaring that “Russia-China relations are at an unprecedentedly high level,” and adding, “we were always together then, and we remain together now.” While such unity makes for a powerful photo opportunity, the alliance is not without its tensions. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended a major Eurasian summit in China over the preceding weekend, has his own complicated history with both Beijing and Moscow. India and China have repeatedly clashed over their shared Himalayan border, and this was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years. Still, the summit—attended by leaders from Turkey, India, and beyond—hinted at shifting allegiances in a world unsettled by America’s unpredictable foreign policy.
President Donald Trump, observing from Washington, did not miss the spectacle. “They were hoping I was watching, and I was watching,” he remarked, according to BBC. Initially, Trump seemed unfazed, telling a podcast audience he was “not concerned” about China’s show of force. But by Tuesday night, his tone had shifted to grievance. On his Truth Social platform, he wrote, “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America.” The sarcasm was unmistakable, but so too was the anxiety over a potential realignment of global power.
Trump’s relationship with military pageantry is well documented. He has repeatedly expressed admiration for such displays, hosting his own parade two months earlier to mark the US Army’s 250th birthday. Unlike Beijing’s futuristic arsenal and tightly choreographed formations, Trump’s event was a nostalgic homage to American military history, with World War II tanks and Revolutionary-era soldiers parading near the White House. As BBC noted, this backward-looking celebration fit neatly with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” rhetoric and his economic policy, which often harks back to 19th-century mercantilism.
The Chinese parade, for its part, was as much about rewriting history as it was about projecting power. Richard Wilkie, a former secretary of veterans affairs under Trump, told BBC, “It’s the first step in a concerted effort to rewrite the rules of the road. And you do that first by rewriting history.” The Communist Party’s narrative seeks to recast China as a decisive force in the defeat of fascism and imperialism, smoothing the way for a new era of Chinese leadership on the world stage.
Meanwhile, the economic summit in Tianjin, where Xi, Putin, and Modi huddled, signaled a possible thaw in relations between China and India—two nations often at odds, but now drawn together, at least in part, by the heat of Trump’s aggressive tariff policies. As BBC observed, Trump’s “America First” stance has scrambled global alliances, driving some of the world’s largest economies to seek common ground in opposition to Washington’s unpredictability.
Wilkie, now co-chair of American Security at the Trump-aligned America First Foreign Policy Institute, put it bluntly: “The threat is growing Chinese military power.” While Trump remains fixated on America’s immediate sphere of influence—places like Greenland, Panama, and Canada—his sweeping trade actions risk alienating allies and driving adversaries together. Recent court rulings have also cast doubt on the legality of many of Trump’s tariffs, with an appellate court finding that his interpretation of federal law was faulty. Trump has vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court, but even a conservative bench may balk at such sweeping presidential authority without congressional approval.
Back in Washington, the parade and summit in China fueled speculation about Trump’s own health and leadership. Over the Labor Day weekend, rumors swirled online that Trump was dead—a claim he quickly denied, posting that he “NEVER FELT BETTER IN MY LIFE.” His medical team later revealed a diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency, explaining the bruises and swollen ankles seen in recent appearances. Trump, the oldest president ever inaugurated, brushed off the rumors with characteristic bravado.
The parade also came amid a flurry of domestic political drama. Over 1,000 current and former HHS workers called for the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr., while states like California, Oregon, and Washington formed a West Coast Health Alliance to protect vaccine access. In contrast, Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis moved to end childhood vaccine requirements for school attendance, making Florida the first state to do so—a move that has sparked heated debate about public health and state autonomy.
On Capitol Hill, Epstein survivors made an emotional appeal for the release of all Justice Department files related to the late financier, but House Speaker Mike Johnson blocked a discharge petition, citing concerns about victim protection. The House Oversight Committee did release over 33,000 pages of DOJ files, but according to Rep. Robert Garcia, 97% were already publicly available, leaving advocates frustrated.
Against this backdrop of shifting alliances, legal battles, and domestic upheaval, China’s parade served as a potent reminder of the stakes in today’s geopolitical contest. Whether on the parade grounds of Tiananmen Square or in the corridors of Washington, the world is watching—and waiting to see which vision of order will prevail.
