Historic Military Parade in Beijing Signals New Global Alliance as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim

Unprecedented Gathering of Leaders

Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un at a military parade in Beijing on September 3, delivering a muscular show of force and sending a message about China’s rising challenge to U.S. global leadership.

Scale and Significance

The parade, held in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, commemorates the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end following Japan’s formal surrender. With Putin and Kim at the top of Xi’s guest list, the event created an extraordinary photo-op with the three autocratic leaders standing side by side atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace, in an unequivocal show of unity.

The Chinese leader exhibited military might with an ostentatious display, commandeering Beijing’s main artery – the Avenue of Eternal Peace – for a major military parade showing off the country’s cutting-edge hypersonic weapons, nuclear-capable missiles, and undersea drones, alongside thousands of goose-stepping soldiers.

International Participation

This marks Kim Jong Un’s first visit to China in six years, bringing him together with a large group of world leaders for the first time since taking office in 2011. The event has drawn leaders from Iran, Belarus, Serbia, Cuba, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan and Malaysia.

Notably, no leaders from major Western countries including the U.S. are in attendance, partly due to their differences with Putin over the war in Ukraine.

Strategic Implications

According to experts, Kim’s attendance suggests the emergence of a “new Cold War structure,” with North Korea relying on Russia for military cooperation and China for economic relations. Both China and Russia have been instrumental in helping North Korea circumvent international sanctions imposed due to its nuclear and missile programs.

Xi’s message through this display of soft and hard power is clear: China is a force that wants to reset global rules. In his speeches, Xi has emphasized that the world is in a state of flux and chaos, positioning China as the responsible, stable power to guide it into the future.