China Parades Military Power and Hosts Putin, Kim on World War II Anniversary

China on Wednesday staged a large military parade in Beijing that displayed advanced weaponry and brought together a group of foreign leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, in a display Beijing cast as a defense of its national interests.

The event, held at Tiananmen Square to mark the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, featured fighter jets, drone-interceptor systems and strategic missiles rolling past the reviewing stand where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech. Xi said the Chinese nation "is never intimidated by any bullies and always forges ahead," and argued that "humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games." He said the Chinese people "firmly stand on the right side of history."

The parade also served as a rare forum for face-to-face interaction among leaders that analysts have described as a nascent coalition of rivals to the U.S.-led international order, sometimes characterized in media accounts as an "axis of upheaval." In addition to Putin and Kim, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian attended, along with a number of other leaders Beijing had invited. Several Western heads of state and other U.S. allies declined invitations or otherwise did not attend.

Chinese state media broadcast close-up views of the hardware and formations as they passed beneath the rostrum. Military analysts said the mix of systems on display — from aerial platforms to ground-based missile units — emphasized China’s growing emphasis on high-end conventional capabilities, including tools intended to counter drones and project power at increasing distances.

The gathering cast the parade as both a commemoration of the end of the Asia-Pacific war in 1945 and a diplomatic occasion. For Beijing, hosting foreign leaders alongside a demonstration of military modernization highlighted its narrative of national rejuvenation and deterrence. For outside governments, the confluence of the event’s symbolism, the guests in attendance and the choice of advanced systems on show invited scrutiny about Beijing’s strategic messaging.

Analysts in Washington and elsewhere said the optics of the leaders meeting in person carried diplomatic weight beyond the parade itself. Some experts described the grouping as a coordinated signal that could complicate efforts by the United States and its partners to isolate or pressure specific states on sanctions, security or nuclear issues. Officials in several Western capitals declined to comment publicly on the parade and its diplomatic implications.

The parade took place amid already strained relations between China and several Western countries over trade, technology restrictions and regional security disputes. Chinese officials framed the event as a statement of sovereignty and stability. International reaction was mixed: some governments criticized the militarized spectacle or cited concerns about the attendance of leaders with fraught records, while others adopted a more neutral tone, noting the historical significance of the anniversary.

As parades and public diplomacy continue to be tools for states to communicate capability and intent, observers said the long-term policy effects will depend on follow-up actions — including bilateral meetings, economic agreements and security cooperation — rather than the pageantry alone. China’s choice to stage the parade, invite select foreign leaders and spotlight modern military systems was likely intended to shape that broader diplomatic narrative.

The parade underscored Beijing’s dual approach of commemorating a pivotal wartime anniversary while leveraging state spectacle to advance contemporary strategic messaging. Further diplomatic developments and official statements in the coming days are expected to clarify whether the show of force and fellowship at Tiananmen will translate into concrete policy alignments or remain largely symbolic.