Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean Commissioner Kim Jong Un stood side by side in Tiananmen Square, Beijing. They attended a large-scale military parade held in China to commemorate the 80th anniversary of World War II victory. It is the first time in 66 years that the leaders of North Korea, China, and Russia have appeared together since the meeting of Mao Zedong, Nikita Khrushchev, and Kim Il Sung in 1959.
The parade that started at 9 a.m. (local time) on the 3rd is the largest military event held in China in six years since the 70th anniversary of its founding in 2019. The official reason is to commemorate the "80th anniversary of the victory in the Anti-Japanese War and the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War." However, the Japan Economic Newspaper quoted experts as saying, "In reality, it has a strong character of showcasing military power aimed at the United States and the West, as well as consolidating geopolitical forces."
On the same day, President Xi and his wife were the first to appear in Tiananmen Square, standing in front of the Duanmen gate to greet foreign dignitaries. Afterward, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Commissioner Kim Jong Un made their appearances side by side. Commissioner Kim approached with a smile, took Xi's hand with both of his hands, and shook it to show intimacy. President Xi responded with a smile.
Commissioner Kim arrived at the venue around 9:18 a.m. in a black armored limousine. Instead of the usual outfit he wears, he was in a black suit with a gold tie. His daughter, Kim Ju-ae, who accompanied him on the trip to China, did not appear at the entrance.
In the commemorative photograph, President Xi stood to the left of President Putin and to the right of Commissioner Kim. After that, the three leaders ascended the Tiananmen Tower along with the leaders of more than 20 other countries.
The parade featured over 10,000 troops, more than 100 aircraft, and hundreds of the latest weapons, including various missiles and armored vehicles. In particular, new strategic weapons that the U.S. military is wary of, such as the hypersonic missile "DF-17," the medium-range ballistic missile "DF-26D," known as the "Guam killer," and large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUV), were prominently showcased. CNN reported that "China will reveal its enhanced military capabilities under President Xi's efforts to modernize the world's largest military."
In an unprecedented display of solidarity, Xi Jinping, Putin, and Kim Jong Un, the three leaders who gathered in one place for the first time since the end of the Cold War, showed a close relationship throughout the event. They are representative leaders of anti-U.S. countries that are subject to Western sanctions.
Before the parade, President Putin held a separate summit with President Xi and praised the bilateral relationship as being "at an unprecedentedly high level." Commissioner Kim visited China for the first time in six years and eight months since 2019, and notably brought his daughter Kim Ju-ae along with him. This is her debut in the multilateral diplomatic arena.
In addition to these leaders, presidents from over 20 countries, including Iran, Pakistan, Myanmar, and Belarus, attended the parade. Most of these countries are either close to China and Russia or are distancing themselves from the West. Leaders from the G7 did not attend. Among the leaders of European Union (EU) member states, only Robert Fico, the pro-Russian Prime Minister of Slovakia, attended. Deutsche Welle (DW) analyzed that "the list of attendees clearly shows a geopolitical divide between East and West."
This parade serves as a stage for President Xi to engrave his vision of a "new world order" into the minds of the world. Before the parade, he stated at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that "rules created by a minority of countries should not be imposed on others," targeting the United States. He unveiled a new "global governance initiative," expressing ambition to create an alternative to the U.S.-centric world order.
The atmosphere in the U.S. is one of initial devaluation. President Donald Trump responded to a question the previous day about whether he was concerned about the tight ties between North Korea, China, and Russia by saying, "Not at all concerned." However, voices of caution have emerged within the U.S. military hierarchy. Kevin Schneider, commander of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces, stated, "Events held by countries like China are focused on the message, but we will not be deterred," and added, "As potential adversaries develop and deploy systems, we will continue to seek ways to enhance our capabilities."
Experts have evaluated that this parade symbolizes China's mobilization of military and diplomatic power to confront the United States amid the intensifying U.S.-China power competition. The Guardian reported that "this parade showcases China's geopolitical strength and sends a message to the West."