China's grand military parade: here are the highlights

China projected its growing military strength and geopolitical alignment with US rivals on Wednesday, as President Xi Jinping presided over a large-scale parade in Beijing.

The event marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II and underscored Xi’s ambitions to position China at the center of a new global order.

Leaders from Russia and North Korea join Xi

Xi was flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, making the parade the first occasion where the three leaders appeared together.

Their presence alongside delegations from more than 20 other countries highlighted China’s deepening ties with Washington’s adversaries.

US President Donald Trump responded with a sharply worded message on Truth Social, accusing Xi, Putin, and Kim of “conspiring against the United States,” while also calling on China to honor American sacrifices during World War II.

Display of advanced weaponry

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unveiled an array of new capabilities, including hypersonic and nuclear-capable missiles, drones for land, sea, and air combat, and a cyberspace unit.

Naval formations showcased supersonic and hypersonic missiles such as the YJ-15, 17, 19, and 20.

China’s military spending has roughly doubled over the past decade to around $250 billion, with its nuclear arsenal is believed to have more than doubled.

Analysts noted the parade demonstrated hardware advances but cautioned that the PLA’s combat readiness remains untested, as China has not fought a full-scale war since 1979.

Domestic and global messaging

The event was aimed at both domestic and international audiences. At home, Xi emphasized the Communist Party’s role in China’s wartime struggle, calling for unity and sacrifice to achieve “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”

Beijing adorned the capital with 200,000 flags and tightened security measures to underscore the occasion’s significance.

Internationally, Xi cast China as a force for peace while rejecting what it calls Western “hegemonism.”

The absence of US, UK, and other Western leaders highlighted geopolitical divides.

By contrast, Xi used the platform to deepen ties with leaders from Russia, North Korea, Iran, and members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

Military ambitions and regional influence

The parade also reflected Xi’s strategic goal of building a “world-class military” capable of rivaling US forces and safeguarding China’s global interests. Military leaders said the display was intended to showcase “formidable strategic deterrent capability” and prepare the armed forces to “win future wars.”

China’s naval modernization includes new aircraft carriers equipped with electromagnetic launch systems, narrowing the gap with the US Navy.

Still, questions remain about training, leadership, and the ability to integrate advanced systems into combat operations.

Historical narrative and political context

Xi framed the parade as both a commemoration of World War II and a rallying point against current Western criticism of China’s rise.

By highlighting the Communist Party’s role in resisting Japan, Beijing sought to reinforce its legitimacy and contrast its vision of global order with that of the West.

Despite the spectacle, the event took place against a backdrop of economic challenges, including high youth unemployment, mounting debt, and concerns about corruption within the military, where several senior officers have been purged in recent years.

The Beijing parade was as much about political signaling as military might.

Xi’s display of strength, flanked by Putin and Kim, reinforced China’s growing influence in global affairs while highlighting its ambition to rival US power.

Yet the spectacle also underscored uncertainties about China’s economic resilience and the readiness of its armed forces in real-world conflict.