Xi Showcases China’s Might as Putin, Kim Stand Beside Him in Beijing
Chinese President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s growing military might and global clout at a massive parade in Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, appearing for the first time in public alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
The event, marking 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War Two, underscored Xi’s attempt to recast the conflict as a cornerstone of China’s “great rejuvenation” and highlight his vision of a new world order free from what he called “hegemonism and power politics.”
“Today, mankind is faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum,” Xi told more than 50,000 spectators, declaring that the Chinese people “firmly stand on the right side of history.”
Military Showcase and Symbolism
Riding in an open-top limousine, Xi inspected troops and cutting-edge equipment, including hypersonic missiles, underwater drones and a weaponised “robot wolf.” Helicopters trailed giant banners while fighter jets roared overhead in a 70-minute display capped by the release of 80,000 “peace” birds.
The Chinese leader, dressed in a tunic suit reminiscent of Mao Zedong, greeted more than 25 visiting leaders. Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto made a surprise appearance despite protests at home, but most Western leaders shunned the parade.
Xi’s placement between Putin and Kim in the reviewing stand was unprecedented, signalling the tightening alignment of the three leaders, all at odds with the West. The gathering also offered Kim his first appearance at a Chinese parade in 66 years and gave him implicit backing for his nuclear arsenal, long banned under U.N. resolutions.
Following the parade, Putin thanked Kim “for his soldiers’ courageous fighting in the war in Ukraine” during a bilateral meeting at Beijing’s State Guesthouse. Kim responded that he was willing to “do everything he can to help Russia.”
The Kremlin later dismissed a post from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had written on Truth Social: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America.” Moscow suggested Trump’s remarks were ironic.
Kim, who travelled with his daughter Ju Ae, shook hands with South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik before the parade, though Pyongyang has rebuffed Seoul’s latest overtures to ease tensions on the divided peninsula.
Xi has cast World War Two as a pivotal moment in China’s rise from Japanese invasion to global power status. Earlier this week, he outlined his “vision of a new world order” at a regional summit, urging unity against great-power coercion.
“Xi feels confident that the tables have turned. It’s China that is back in the driver’s seat now,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub. “It’s been Trumpian unilateralism rather than China’s wolf warrior diplomacy when people talk about the leading source of uncertainty in the international system.”
The show of force also followed a sweeping anti-corruption campaign inside the People’s Liberation Army, which has purged more than a dozen senior generals.
“The parade allows Xi to focus the world’s attention on its impressive strides in modernising its military hardware, while overshadowing the stubborn challenges afflicting the PLA,” said Jon Czin of the Brookings Institution.
For Beijing, the parade carried a dual purpose: flexing its military power abroad and strengthening patriotic sentiment at home. Civil servants were instructed to watch the broadcast and write reflections.
In his keynote address, Xi described China’s national rejuvenation as “unstoppable” and warned that humanity must not return to the “law of the jungle.”
Beyond the pageantry, analysts said the rare joint appearance of Xi, Putin and Kim may foreshadow deeper defence ties in the Asia-Pacific, an alignment that could reshape regional security dynamics.
