China has held its largest-ever military parade in a display of its growing firepower and geopolitical clout as President Xi Jinping seeks to cast Beijing as the custodian of a post-US international order.
Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Mr Xi was shown on television strolling up a red carpet to take his seat for the lavish event marking 80 years since Japan’s defeat at the end of World War II.
People attend a flag-raising ceremony at the military parade. (Reuters: Tingshu Wang)
More than 50,000 spectators packed into stands joined a vast choir singing patriotic songs as the dignitaries took their seats on the tribune overlooking Tiananmen Square.
Wearing a suit in the style of those worn by former leader Mao Zedong, Mr Xi earlier greeted about two dozen largely non-Western leaders in attendance, including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who made a surprise appearance despite widespread protests at home.
He was shown saying, “Nice to meet you,” and, “Welcome to China,” in English.
The highly choreographed Victory Day spectacle comes as US President Donald Trump’s “America -first” stance and trade wars have strained Washington’s long-standing alliances.
China, Russia and North Korea are sending a powerful message
Asked on Tuesday, local time, whether he saw the parade as a challenge to the United States, Mr Trump said he did not and reiterated that he had a “very good relationship” with Mr Xi.
“China needs us much more than we need them,” he added.
The 70-minute showcase featured aerial displays, marching troops as well as cutting-edge military equipment such as hypersonic missiles, unmanned drones and outfitted tanks.
Mr Xi reviewed the troops lined up in formation before delivering a keynote speech, in which he said China stood “on the right side of history”, adding the rejuvenation of the nation was “unstoppable”.
Major roads and schools in Beijing were closed for the parade, the culmination of weeks of painstaking security preparations and midnight rehearsals.
Participants perform ahead of the military parade. (Reuters: Maxim Shemetov)
Vision for new global order
Mr Xi has cast World War II as a major turning point in the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation”, in which it overcame the humiliation of Japan’s invasion to become an economic powerhouse.
Xi and Putin meet in Beijing ahead of massive military parade
During his speech at the ceremony, Mr Xi highlighted China and Soviet Russia’s triumph in defeating fascism and Beijing’s role upholding the postwar international order.
Earlier this week, Xi unveiled his vision of a new global order at a regional security summit, calling for unity against “hegemonism and power politics”.
It was a thinly veiled swipe at the US and Mr Trump’s sweeping tariffs aimed at both friend and foe.
People wave flags ahead of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. (Reuters: Tingshu Wang)
Mr Putin has already used the occasion to seal deeper energy deals with China, and the gathering has given Mr Kim an opportunity to gain implicit support for his banned nuclear weapons.
Mr Kim, debuting in his first major multilateral event, is the first North Korean to attend a Chinese military parade in 66 years.
Chinese local governments mobilised tens of thousands of volunteers and Communist Party members to monitor for any signs of potential unrest ahead of the parade, according to online recruitment notices.
Reuters
