China hosted a large-scale military parade on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event featured advanced weapons systems and drew the attendance of foreign leaders.
The parade began at 9am local time in Tiananmen Square, with President Xi Jinping presiding. Xi delivered a speech to tens of thousands of spectators, stating: “Today, mankind is faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum. The Chinese people firmly stand on the right side of history.” He wore a Mao-style suit in a symbolic reference to the Communist Party’s role in the war.
Display of Military Capabilities
China presented an array of new systems, including drones designed for both aerial and underwater missions, unmanned helicopters for ship-based operations, and a variety of cruise and hypersonic missiles. Nuclear-capable weapons were shown publicly for the first time as part of China’s “triad” of land, sea, and air-launched systems. These included the Jinglei-1 air-launched missile, Julang-3 submarine-based missile, and Dongfeng-31 and Dongfeng-61 land-based missiles.
Additional systems displayed included Yingji-17, Yingji-19, and Yingji-20 antiship missiles, which state media reported had been tested against carrier prototypes. Cruise and hypersonic weapons such as the Changjian-20A, Yingji-18C, Changjian-1000, Yingji-21, Dongfeng-17, and Dongfeng-26D were also part of the showcase.
The parade featured more than 1,000 musicians, including 80 buglers symbolizing the 80 years since Japan’s surrender. Spectator seating was arranged in green, red, and gold colors, which state broadcaster CCTV said represented fertile land, sacrifice, and peace.
Foreign Leaders in Attendance
Xi hosted more than 25 foreign leaders. Among them were Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who stood alongside him on the red carpet. Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, attended as well in what was described as her first international appearance.
It was the first time in 66 years that a North Korean leader had joined a Chinese military parade, the last being Kim Il Sung in 1959. Other leaders present included Myanmar’s Min Aung Hlaing, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistan’s Shehbaz Sharif, Mongolia’s Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, Uzbekistan’s Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko, Vietnam’s Luong Cuong, Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim, Maldives’ Mohamed Muizzu, Nepal’s KP Sharma Oli, Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto.
From Europe, only Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic attended. Both have maintained closer ties with Russia and been critical of Western sanctions on Moscow.
Context and Background
Victory Day marks Japan’s surrender on September 2, 1945. The Chinese government declared September 3 as the official commemoration in 2014. The last parade of this scale was held in 2015, when the Communist Party invited veterans of both the Kuomintang and Communist forces.
China’s parades serve as a reminder of the country’s heavy wartime losses—estimated at 20 million deaths—and the Communist Party’s role in resistance. Wednesday’s event took place amid rising geopolitical tensions, including trade disputes with the United States and deepening cooperation between China and Russia.