Beijing just put the world on notice with a grand military parade with its most advanced weaponry showcasing China’s military power. With Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un attending, China is signaling its arrival as a global superpower.
China’s Military Parade
China conducted a massive military parade on September 3, 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of its victory in World War II. China showcased a range of new and advanced domestically produced weaponry at the event.
China’s massive military parade featured more than 10,000 troops, over 100 aircrafts and hundreds of ground vehicles. It was an effort to showcase China’s growing military power under leader Xi Jinping. Officials say all equipment on display are domestically produced and currently in service. However, much of it was seen in public for the first time on Wednesday. The repertoire included cutting-edge drones, electronic jamming systems, hypersonic weapons, air-defense and missile-defense technologies and strategic missiles.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un stood together publicly for the first time at a military parade in Tiananmen Square to commemorate the end of World War II. The event represents a defiant challenge to the US-led world order. In reaction, President Donald Trump accused China, Russia and North Korea of conspiring against the US.
China’s Military Modernization
China is working on a long-term plan to build a world-class military by 2049. Its defense budget keeps growing each year. The country is also investing heavily in hypersonic missiles and artificial intelligence. Key aspects include developing sophisticated naval power, enhancing air force capabilities, advancing nuclear forces, and incorporating new battlefield technologies. This push for military supremacy is intertwined with China’s broader foreign policy, aiming to secure dominance in the Indo-Pacific region and project increasing influence globally. The growth in military capabilities has generally remained in healthy proportion to China’s overall economic growth, with military expenditure historically staying around 1.7% of its GDP, according to ORF.
The military parade highlights China’s push to modernize its armed forces. It also showcases Beijing’s ambition to project power globally.
China’s military budget has surged over the past few decades. This growth has enabled major investments in new weapons technologies and expanded capabilities. China has declared its goal of becoming a world-class military power. It aims to defend its interests both domestically and overseas.
A message to trump
China’s diplomacy this week carried one clear message for the Trump administration. If Washington insists on “America First,” Beijing is ready to lead an alternative order.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on Sunday and Monday, the leaders of China, Russia, and India smiled for the cameras, projecting unity. Putin hailed Xi Jinping as “a real friend.” Xi returned the favor, calling the Russian president his “old friend.And on Wednesday, Xi, Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un appeared together at a military parade. This indicates an unmistakable show of solidarity.
China has flexed its military might and displayed its global ambitions. As the world watches with a mixture of awe and trepidation. The question remains: what will China do with its newfound power?
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