On September 3, 2025, Beijing became the stage for a geopolitical spectacle that captured the world’s attention. Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stood shoulder to shoulder for the first time in decades during a grand military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. Their joint appearance carried deep symbolism, echoing Cold War-era alliances and signaling a renewed axis of authoritarian cooperation at a time of heightened global tensions.
The parade, held in Tiananmen Square, was China’s largest to date and featured a stunning display of advanced weaponry, much of it revealed publicly for the first time. Among the highlights were nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles, hypersonic anti-ship weapons, underwater stealth drones, robotic “dog” drones, and new laser-directed energy systems. The event also included cyber and space warfare units, underscoring China’s strategic ambitions across every modern battlefield. Xi Jinping used the occasion to frame the world as standing at a crossroads between “peace or war” and “dialogue or confrontation,” positioning China not only as the world’s second-largest economy but as a counterweight to U.S. power.
The presence of Putin and Kim Jong Un was particularly significant. It marked the first time in 66 years that leaders from China, Russia, and North Korea shared such a public platform, recalling the days of Mao Zedong, Nikita Khrushchev, and Kim Il-sung. Walking together on the red carpet and greeting World War II veterans, the trio projected a message of unity, resilience, and defiance against Western dominance. Kim’s attendance, in particular, highlighted North Korea’s deepening alignment with Beijing and Moscow, while Putin’s participation emphasized Russia’s pivot toward Asia as it faces continued Western sanctions.
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The spectacle also triggered sharp responses abroad. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, reacting on social media, accused the trio of conspiring against America, underscoring the deep fractures in today’s geopolitical order. Analysts noted that the parade was not just about military might but about political theater, reinforcing Xi’s domestic message of China’s resurgence and his belief in “peace through strength.” By showcasing advanced weapons and inviting two of Washington’s fiercest adversaries to stand by his side, Xi projected China as both a global power and the leader of an alternative world order.
The Beijing parade was therefore more than a commemoration of World War II. It was a carefully choreographed demonstration of strength, solidarity, and ambition. With Xi, Putin, and Kim sharing the spotlight, the world witnessed the visual formation of a bloc determined to challenge Western-led institutions and rewrite the rules of global power.
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