Xi Showcases China’s Military Might as Putin and Kim Attend Parade, Western Leaders Absent

China staged its largest military parade in decades on Wednesday, as President Xi Jinping presided over a show of strength designed to project Beijing’s rising power and its vision for a new international order beyond US  dominance.

The event, marking the end of World War Two, featured thousands of troops, advanced missile systems, and cutting-edge aircraft in Tiananmen Square. Xi, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, cast the display as a message of unity against outside pressure and interference.

Almost no Western leaders attended, highlighting deepening divisions as tensions mount between China and its regional neighbors over contested territory and military assertiveness. US  President Donald Trump, who accused Beijing of “conspiring” with rivals, pointed to the parade as evidence of what he called “China’s global ambitions.”

The spectacle also carried symbolic diplomacy. Yonhap news agency reported that Kim Jong Un shook hands with Woo Won-shik, speaker of South Korea’s National Assembly, ahead of the parade a rare gesture at a time of cautious outreach between Seoul and Pyongyang. Woo, who represented South Korea at the event, did not immediately comment, but his presence underscored President Lee Jae Myung’s ongoing efforts to improve inter-Korean ties.

Lee’s office confirmed on Tuesday that he was receiving real-time updates on Kim’s visit to China, reflecting the significance of the North Korean leader’s presence in Beijing.

For Xi, the event was both a commemoration and a message: China is prepared to defend its interests, build alliances beyond the West, and seek a greater role in shaping the post-US world order.

Erizia Rubyjeana 

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