Beijing is set to become the epicenter of global attention next week as Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the country’s massive "Victory Day" military parade on September 3, 2025. The event, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the formal end of World War II, is being billed as one of China’s largest and most choreographed displays of military might in years. According to Reuters, this will be the first time Xi, Putin, and Kim appear together publicly—a powerful visual of solidarity in the face of Western sanctions and diplomatic isolation.
The parade, held in Beijing’s iconic Tiananmen Square, will feature tens of thousands of troops, more than 100 aircraft, and hundreds of pieces of advanced ground equipment. Among the highlights: cutting-edge fighter jets, missile defense systems, hypersonic weapons, drones, and electronic jamming systems, as reported by ITV News and The Jakarta Post. The sheer scale of the event is meant not just as a celebration of past victory, but as a message to the world about China’s growing military prowess and its willingness to challenge the current global order.
China’s foreign office has emphasized the symbolic importance of the event, stating, “Upholding, consolidating and developing the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) is a firm position of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government.” This warm welcome for Kim Jong Un is especially notable, as it marks his first visit to China since 2019 and his first multilateral international appearance since taking office in late 2011, according to ITV News. The parade also marks Kim’s first direct engagement with a large group of world leaders, signaling a diplomatic victory for Xi Jinping and a public reaffirmation of the China-North Korea alliance.
Putin’s attendance carries its own weight. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow has faced multiple rounds of Western sanctions and growing international isolation. China has emerged as Russia’s most significant strategic partner, and, as Reuters points out, is one of the few places Putin can travel to after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest over alleged war crimes in Ukraine. The presence of Putin at the parade, despite such legal and diplomatic constraints, is a pointed act of defiance. The Asia Society Policy Institute’s Lizzi Lee told AFP that the gathering allows Beijing to “demonstrate convening power,” even if concrete policy outcomes are unlikely.
North Korea, for its part, remains under United Nations Security Council sanctions for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Kim’s visit not only revives the traditional ties between Pyongyang and Beijing but also comes amid a period of deepening relations with Moscow. In 2023, North Korea conducted about 97% of its external trade with China and just 1.2% with Russia, according to Chinese data cited by ITV News. However, the two countries have grown closer in the wake of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Last year, Putin and Kim signed a landmark defense pact in Pyongyang, pledging immediate military assistance should either nation come under attack—a move that has rattled the United States and its Asian allies.
The guest list for the parade underscores the event’s geopolitical significance. According to the Chinese foreign ministry and multiple news outlets, 26 foreign leaders have been invited, but the only representative from a NATO member state will be Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico. The absence of Western leaders is striking, especially given China’s role as a key Allied power during World War II. Among the expected attendees are Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko, Iranian President Masoud Pezashkian, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik, and Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. The United Nations will be represented by Under-Secretary-General Li Junhua, who previously held several senior roles in the Chinese foreign ministry.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in China next week for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, but Chinese state media have not listed him as an attendee at the parade itself. The Jakarta Post notes that Modi did not attend Beijing’s 2015 parade either, reflecting the sometimes-fraught relationship between Asia’s two giants. Still, China and India recently announced plans to restart direct flights, advance border talks, and boost trade, signaling a cautious thaw in relations.
For Xi Jinping, the parade serves several purposes. Domestically, it’s a chance to rally national pride and showcase the People’s Liberation Army’s modernization. Internationally, it’s a demonstration of “non-Western” global governance, as Lizzi Lee explained to AFP: “Beijing wants to show it can bring diverse leaders together and reinforce the idea that global governance is ‘not Western-dominated.’” Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin echoed this sentiment, saying the summit and parade would bring stability in the face of “hegemonism and power politics,” a thinly veiled reference to the United States.
The optics of the event are just as important as any behind-the-scenes discussions. The parade is expected to be highly choreographed, with President Xi reviewing the troops alongside his foreign guests. According to The New York Post, the spectacle will include female PLA soldiers and the latest in Chinese military hardware, all against the backdrop of Tiananmen Square. While concrete outcomes are not expected—given the diversity and sometimes conflicting interests of the attendees—the gathering itself sends a clear message: China is willing and able to convene a broad coalition of nations outside the Western sphere of influence.
The absence of the United States and other major Western powers is notable, especially as Washington continues to pressure Moscow to de-escalate in Ukraine and maintain tense trade negotiations with Beijing. According to BBC and other outlets, US President Donald Trump (who remains in office as of 2025) will not be at the parade but has signaled interest in meeting both Xi and Kim in the near future. This diplomatic dance reflects the shifting alliances and rivalries that define today’s international landscape.
As the world watches Beijing on September 3, the convergence of Xi, Putin, and Kim—each facing their own challenges at home and abroad—will serve as both a celebration of history and a statement of intent for the future. The display of military power and diplomatic unity may not solve the world’s deepest divisions, but it will undoubtedly shape the narrative of global politics for months to come.
