China held its largest-ever military parade on Wednesday, showcasing its growing military power and geopolitical influence as President Xi Jinping positions Beijing as a custodian of the post-U.S. international order.
At Tiananmen Square, Xi walked down a red carpet alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to take his seat at the event marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s defeat in World War Two.
Xi, dressed in a suit styled after Mao Zedong, greeted around twenty mainly non-Western leaders, including Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto, who made a surprise appearance despite protests at home. He spoke in English, saying “Nice to meet you” and “Welcome to China.”
The parade comes amid strained U.S.-China relations under President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies and trade wars. Asked if he viewed the parade as a challenge to the U.S., Trump said he did not and reiterated his “very good relationship” with Xi.
More than 50,000 spectators watched the 70-minute display of troops, aircraft, hypersonic missiles, drones, and modernised tanks. Major roads and schools in Beijing were closed for the parade, which followed weeks of security preparations and night-time rehearsals.
Xi will review the troops before delivering a keynote speech atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where a portrait of Mao Zedong overlooks the square.
He is expected to highlight China and Soviet Russia’s role in defeating fascism and maintaining the postwar international order. Xi will also call for unity against “hegemonism and power politics,” a clear reference to the U.S.
Putin used the occasion to deepen energy agreements with China, while Kim Jong Un makes his first major international appearance at a Chinese military parade, accompanied by his daughter Ju Ae.
Local authorities mobilised tens of thousands of volunteers and Communist Party members to monitor potential unrest ahead of the event. “President Xi will use this opportunity to show that the military is clearly and unmistakably behind him,” said Wen-Ti Sung, fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.
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