China showcases military and diplomatic prowess at parade

Display seen as a show of force and defiance against US-led global order

- Yew Lun Tian Senior Correspondent and Michelle Ng

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over a grand military parade on Sept 3, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in a show of force and defiance against the global order led by the United States.

While billed as a celebration of China's World War II victory over Japan 80 years ago, the parade also underlined China's current and future military reach — with the US squarely in mind — as Beijing unveiled weapons capable of striking targets worldwide.

From the same rostrum atop the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen) where Mao Zedong proclaimed the People's Republic of China in 1949, Mr Xi, clad in a Mao suit, vowed that China "does not fear power or intimidation and is determined to stand self-reliant and strong".

The words could just as well have been said by Mr Putin and Mr Kim — strongmen who have resisted pressure from the US, for Russia to end the war in Ukraine and for North Korea to give up its nuclear arsenal, respectively. The parade marked the first time the three leaders have appeared together in public.

"Today, mankind is faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win outcomes or zero-sum games," Mr Xi told a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators, adding that "the Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history".

More than 20 heads of state or government attended the parade, including Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who did so despite having had to deal with protests at home. Singapore was represented by Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong.

But top leaders of major Western democracies, including the US, were absent.