Chinese leader Xi Jinping oversaw a massive military parade in Beijing yesterday, featuring fighter jets, missiles, and soldiers marching in strict military steps, while issuing a stern warning to his adversaries not to challenge his country’s sovereignty.

His message was reinforced by leaders standing beside him on the parade platform, representing countries that have questioned or resisted U.S. dominance of the global order. Alongside him were Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, as well as leaders from Iran, Pakistan, and other predominantly authoritarian states.

Artillery was fired 80 times to commemorate the end of World War II, while soldiers carried the Chinese flag and marched on a red carpet covering part of Tiananmen Square. Small crowds waved flags and saluted during the national anthem and flag raising. Later, 80,000 doves and balloons were released into the air.

The parade was a highlight of a weeks-long campaign led by the ruling Communist Party to stoke nationalism, reshape China’s role in World War II, and portray the party as the savior of the nation from foreign aggressors, namely Imperial Japan. Invoking war memories serves to rally domestic Chinese support amid economic uncertainty and tensions with the U.S., which Xi accused of trying to contain and suppress China.

Xi affirmed: “The Chinese nation is a great nation that does not fear tyranny and stands tall on its feet.” He directly linked the sacrifices of World War II to the challenges China faces today, adding: “When the Chinese people faced a life-or-death struggle between justice and evil, light and darkness, progress and reaction, they united in their hatred of the enemy and rose to resist.” He portrayed current tensions as another existential choice between peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, affirming that China will stand on the side of progress.

The event was rich in symbolism linking the current Communist Party to its revolutionary past. Senior Chinese leaders, past and present, gathered alongside Xi, who wore a Mao-style suit, reminiscent of the founder of the People’s Republic of China.

Later, Xi stood through the sunroof of a Chinese-made “Hongqi” (Red Flag) car—a vehicle evoking the Mao era and China’s ambition for industrial self-sufficiency—as he reviewed the People’s Liberation Army forces. He addressed them saying, “Greetings, comrades. You are working hard!”

The soldiers turned their heads in perfect synchronization as Xi’s car passed, chanting in unison: “Follow the Party! Fight to win! Set an example to be emulated!” To demonstrate their combat readiness, soldiers ran carrying their weapons in front of missile-carrying tanks and jumped into their vehicles.

Putin’s presence highlighted how China and Russia have sought to align their histories, each presenting World War II as evidence of their country’s sacrifice and justification for demanding a greater role in the post-war international order.

Joseph Torigian, assistant professor at American University, explained: “For both Xi and Putin, the victory was costly but incomplete. They believe that ‘hegemonic forces’ still seek to impose a foreign model on them and prevent them from occupying their rightful place in the world. Now, they want to use the war’s memory to inoculate future generations against Western values and legitimize the world order they envision.” Xi’s message did not go unanswered. Minutes after the ceremony began, former President Donald Trump intervened from Washington, accusing Xi of ignoring America’s role in helping China during the war.

Trump wrote that the “big question” is whether Xi would mention the “massive support and ‘blood'” the U.S. gave China to help it gain freedom from a fiercely hostile foreign invader. “Please send my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States,” he added. The Kremlin responded through Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesman, saying: “Let’s hope it was meant figuratively. No one is planning any conspiracies; no one has the desire or time for that.”

Xi’s parade was not just a commemoration of the past but a message to the West about China’s “unstoppable” rise.

Destructive ship missiles, combat drones, and unmanned submarines were displayed, demonstrating China’s investments in military innovation as its competition with the U.S. for military dominance in Asia intensifies. Xi also issued an implicit warning to Taiwan and its international supporters about the risks of any move toward formal independence.

In his speech, Xi pledged to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity: “The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has always been a heroic force that the Party and the people can fully rely on.”

The guests’ attendance reflected the deepening rift between Beijing and the West, especially due to China’s close alignment with Russia in its war in Ukraine. Notably absent were high-level representatives from major Western democracies, including the U.S. However, leaders from many Southeast Asian and Central Asian countries attended the parade, signaling China’s success in strengthening regional partnerships.

Ryan Hass, director of the China Center at the Brookings Institution, said, “Xi is pushing for acceptance of China as a central global power and a reshaping of the international system more aligned with China’s preferences. He considers the attendance of other leaders at his parade as evidence of progress toward his goals.”