Beijing, September (Prime Africa New) – Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the world faces a stark choice between peace and war as he presided over a massive military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in an unprecedented show of force.
The parade, staged at Tiananmen Square to mark 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War II, was boycotted by most Western leaders but underscored Beijing’s growing military and diplomatic clout. Putin and Kim, ostracised in the West over the Ukraine war and North Korea’s nuclear programme, were the guests of honour.
“Today, mankind is faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum,” Xi told a crowd of over 50,000. “The Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history.”
Riding in an open-top limousine, Xi inspected troops and cutting-edge weapons including hypersonic missiles, underwater drones, and a weaponised “robot wolf.” Fighter jets roared overhead while helicopters trailed banners, culminating in the release of 80,000 white doves symbolising peace.
Xi, dressed in a Mao-style tunic suit, welcomed more than 25 world leaders, including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who made a surprise appearance despite protests back home. Sitting between Putin and Kim, Xi frequently conferred with the pair as thousands of soldiers marched past. It was the first time the three leaders have appeared together in public.
Putin later held talks with Kim at Beijing’s State Guesthouse, where he thanked the North Korean leader for what he described as Pyongyang’s support in Ukraine. Kim pledged to “do everything” to help Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump, writing on Truth Social as the parade began, noted America’s role in defeating Japan but quipped: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America.” The Kremlin dismissed Trump’s remarks as ironic.
Xi has framed World War II as a turning point in China’s “great rejuvenation,” positioning the nation as a global powerhouse. Earlier this week, he called for a new world order at a regional security summit, urging unity against “hegemonism and power politics” — widely seen as a rebuke to Washington.
“Xi feels confident that the table has turned. It’s China that is back in the driver’s seat now,” said Wen-Ti Sung, a fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.
Beyond the pageantry, analysts are closely watching whether Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang move towards deeper defence cooperation. Russia and North Korea signed a mutual defence pact in June, and a similar Beijing–Pyongyang alliance could shift military calculations across the Asia-Pacific. Putin has already secured new energy deals with China, while Kim leveraged the gathering to seek tacit support for his nuclear arsenal.
The occasion also carried rare moments of diplomacy. South Korean parliamentary speaker Woo Won-shik shook hands with Kim Jong Un before the parade, Woo’s office confirmed, though Pyongyang has spurned Seoul’s recent offers to stabilise relations on the peninsula.
Kim travelled with his daughter Ju Ae, widely seen by South Korean intelligence as his likely successor, though she did not appear at the parade. It was the first time in 66 years that a North Korean leader attended a Chinese military celebration.
At a lavish banquet in the Great Hall of the People after the parade, Xi told his guests humanity must not return to the “law of the jungle.” Yet as Beijing cements partnerships with Moscow and Pyongyang, the world’s fault lines appear sharper than ever.
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