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Xi Jinping appears with Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un at China military parade Xi Jinping says world faces ‘peace or war’, as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un join him for military parade
(about 2 hours later)
Trump criticises victory day event as China caps off a week of diplomatic grandstanding seen as a rebuke to the westTrump criticises victory day event as China caps off a week of diplomatic grandstanding seen as a rebuke to the west
China military parade – follow it live Xi Jinping warned the world was facing a choice between peace or war as he held China’s largest-ever military parade, flanked by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, capping a week of diplomatic grandstanding seen as a rebuke to the west.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin have appeared alongside Xi Jinping at a large military parade in Beijing on Wednesday, capping a week of diplomatic grandstanding by the Chinese president and his allies seen as a rebuke to the west. Putin and Kim, the authoritarian leaders of Russia and North Korea, are among dozens of world leaders attending the parade, a massive display of military hardware and personnel, orchestrated to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, which China calls the Japanese War of Aggression.
In unprecedented scenes, Xi shook the hands of both leaders and chatted with the pair as they walked down a red carpet towards Tiananmen Square and the parade to mark 80 years since the end of the second world war. But it was the unprecedented image of the three men chatting and shaking hands as they walked the red carpet that analysts said sent a message of defiance to the west, as the US president Donald Trump’s trade tariffs and volatile policymaking strain its relations with allies and rivals alike.
Among the other guests are Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian and Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. No major western leaders are attending. “Today, mankind is faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum,” Xi told a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators at Tiananmen Square, adding that the Chinese people “firmly stand on the right side of history”.
At a speech kicking off the event, Xi said China was “unstoppable” while calling for the eradication of the roots of war to prevent history from repeating itself. Xi criticised “bullying behaviour” from certain countries – a veiled reference to the United States – and warned that China was “unstoppable”, before the massive display of military hardware began.
“Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games,” Xi said. “Beijing is sending a message … that even if western countries continue to sanction Russia over the Russia-Ukraine War, Beijing will not be afraid to stand by its friend,” said Wen-ti Sung, a non-resident fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub.
China has touted the parade as a show of unity with other countries, and Kim’s attendance is the first time he has been seen with Xi and Putin at the same event. It is only Kim’s second reported trip abroad in six years.China has touted the parade as a show of unity with other countries, and Kim’s attendance is the first time he has been seen with Xi and Putin at the same event. It is only Kim’s second reported trip abroad in six years.
US president Donald Trump posted to social media as the parade began. The event drew an almost immediate reaction from Trump.
“May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un, as you conspire against The United States of America,” he said on Truth Social. “May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.
Wednesday is the climax of a whirlwind week for Xi, who on Sunday and Monday hosted a group of world leaders at a summit aimed at putting China front and centre of regional relations. “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong-un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
The club of countries, named the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), touts itself as a non-western style of collaboration in the region and seeks to be an alternative to traditional alliances. Among the other guests are Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian and Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. No major western leaders are attending. Kim has been accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae, images released by North Korean state news showed.
During the summit, Xi slammed “bullying behaviour” from certain countries – a veiled reference to the United States – while Putin defended Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Many of the guests from the Tianjin gathering, including Putin, Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko and several other leaders, have joined Xi for the parade in Beijing. Political analysts say the parade is designed to demonstrate Xi’s influence over nations intent on reshaping the western-led global order. It came just days after the Chinese city of Tianjin hosted a major summit for leaders of the global south, which was also attended by Putin.
Kim has been accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju-ae, images released by North Korean state news showed. Analysts are watching closely to see if any formal meeting between Xi, Putin and Kim is held.
Officials have been tight-lipped over the list of military hardware to be displayed at the parade, but some enthusiasts have already spotted significant new systems. “If all three were to meet, it would be very striking to the United States, highlighting a potential new cold war dynamic,” said Lim Chuan-Tiong, a researcher with the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia at the University of Tokyo.
Defence experts have been analysing social media photos and footage from recent rehearsals, which have shown anti-ship missiles, cutting-edge underwater drones and anti-missile systems. “If such a meeting does not take place, it is likely because China does not want to overly provoke the US while maintaining a certain degree of triangular ambiguity.”
With Agence France-Presse In his speech on Wednesday, Xi said China was “unstoppable”.
After his remarks, Xi stood in an open top car to inspect the parade, greeting troops and receiving salutes. Analysts made much of the military hardware on display; from tanks and drones to long-range and nuclear capable missiles, fighter jets and stealth aircraft, with several newly developed assets unveiled.
The hardware is intended to “give the United States, Europe and China’s neighbours pause should they consider challenging China’s core national interests,” said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam school of international studies.
One core interest which was not mentioned specifically but loomed large regardless, is Taiwan. Xi’s speech contained several references to the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” – a common phrase for Xi’s overarching plan for China’s future which hinges on annexing Taiwan as Chinese territory.
Xi and the Chinese Communist party claim Taiwan is a Chinese province, currently run by illegal separatists. Taiwan’s government and people are opposed to this.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been undergoing a massive modernisation and advancement under Xi, but it’s also been beset by corruption issues, and in the last few years there have been purges of officials and personnel at levels not seen since the Mao Zedong era.
With Reuters