China ‘unstoppable’, says Xi with Shehbaz, Kim and Putin at Beijing military parade
Beijing became the stage of global diplomacy and power projection on Wednesday as Chinese President Xi Jinping stood flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a spectacular military parade. The event, marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, doubled as a show of China’s rising influence and the growing strength of its alliances beyond the West.
Riding in an open-top limousine, Xi inspected rows of troops and heavy weaponry before declaring that China was “unstoppable” and warning the world still faced “a choice of peace or war.” His words were amplified by the firepower on display, including the new DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile with a 20,000-kilometre range, supersonic missiles, and advanced underwater drones.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s presence at the parade alongside Xi, Putin, and Kim highlighted Pakistan’s significance in the evolving regional order. Meanwhile, state media pointedly noted that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had not been invited.
The United States reacted with alarm. President Donald Trump accused Xi, Putin, and Kim of “conspiring against America,” writing on Truth Social: “Give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America.”
The parade itself was a meticulously choreographed spectacle. Troops marched in perfect unison, military vehicles rolled past Tiananmen Square, and warplanes flew in formation overhead, some creating the number “80” in the skies. Beijing residents lined the streets to catch glimpses of the show of strength.
Kim Jong Un’s appearance drew particular attention, as he rarely travels abroad. He was accompanied by his daughter Kim Ju Ae and his sister Kim Yo Jong, both seen at official events. After the parade, Kim held talks with Putin, who thanked him for sending North Korean soldiers to aid Russia’s war effort in Ukraine — a signal of tightening cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang.
For Xi, the parade capped a week of high-profile diplomacy after hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, where he railed against Western “bullying behaviour” and sought to put China at the centre of Eurasian politics. Analysts said the presence of Putin and Kim demonstrated Beijing’s ability to convene powerful allies despite Western efforts at isolation.
“China has convening power,” observed Lam Peng Er of Singapore’s East Asian Institute. “By placing Putin and Kim beside him, Xi is sending a clear message that China remains a force the West cannot sideline.”
With no major Western leaders present, the optics underlined the deepening divide between Beijing and its rivals. For Xi, however, the parade reinforced his central message: that China is not only rooted in its past sacrifices but is determined to shape the future as an unstoppable global power.
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