More than 202 foreign secretaries attending the Beijing military parade on September 3, 2025 will be attending the Beijing military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Lintao Chang | Getty Images News | Getty Images
BEIJING – Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday that the world is facing a choice of “peace or war” and “dialogue or conflict” as the world is holding its biggest military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The speech urged President Donald Trump in his post on True Society to recognize the US contribution to ensuring China’s freedom, claiming that Beijing is conspiring against Washington.
“Please pay tribute to Vladimir Putin and the United Nations Kim John because he is in a conspiracy with Vladimir Putin and the United Nations,” Trump said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un are among the leaders of more than 20 countries attending the “Victory Day” military parade in Beijing, the Tianan Corps.
In his speech, Xi also pledged to strengthen the country’s military capabilities.
Without naming Taiwan, a democratically self-inducing island that China claims to be itself, Xi highlighted the role of the Chinese military in defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The parade saw missiles, military trucks and other equipment running through Tiananmen Square, roaring into the capital and ringing the stage of fighter jets raiding the capital, as China demonstrated its military power.
Heavy choreographed events are designed to showcase some of the latest weapons and equipment made in the country.
“The foreign delegations present demonstrated a shift pattern in China’s influence, with most Western leaders missing,” said Eurasia Group, a senior analyst in China and Northeast Asia, in a memo. He points out that eight Southeast Asian leaders will be present, reflecting China’s growing regional influence.
“The South Korean president has refused to invite China, but Kim’s shocking attendance is a sign of warming between Beijing and Pyongyang,” said Chang. “It is likely that China is seeking to keep Kim close in the face of growing cooperation between North Korea and Russia, and new diplomatic outreach from Seoul and Washington to Pyongyang.”
North Korea reportedly sent troops to Russia in support of the war with Ukraine, but Beijing refused to call Moscow’s attack an invasion and attempted to take on the role of peace overseer. The US accused Beijing of supporting Russian troops that China denied.
Many of the Beijing military parade participants, including Putin, were in Tianjin over the weekend for the largest summit in history by the Shanghai Cooperation Agency. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not stop at the parade. On the sidelines at the summit, photos and videos of Tuangjin’s Putin and Xi Jinping shared laughter.
Xi sat next to Putin in a similar military parade in Moscow in May. The two leaders met in Beijing on Tuesday, with countries signing legally binding contracts to build the long-standing power of the Siberian two gas pipeline.
China held its latest military parade in 2019 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Chinese Communist Party’s rule. Speaking from the gates of the iconic city overlooking the Tiananmen Square, Xi said at the time that “the Chinese people and the Chinese state cannot advance.”
Chinese leaders, who took over the presidency in 2013, abolished term restrictions in 2018.
According to Chinese state media, Putin was attending a Chinese military parade in 2015 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Park Gen Hai, then-Korea president, was present as well as US and French government representatives, the 2015 report said other attendees included former German Prime Minister Gerhard Schroeder and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
China’s call on Wednesday’s event, “The 80th anniversary of the nation’s victory over Japan’s invasion and the world’s victory over fascism.”
