Beijing: China has announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will stand alongside President Xi Jinping at a grand military parade on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II. The event is set to unfold in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, and observers see it as more than just a commemoration it is a calculated show of unity among powers facing mounting Western pressure.
For Xi, the gathering offers an opportunity to demonstrate China’s growing influence across the Global South while visibly consolidating ties with Moscow and Pyongyang. Both Putin and Kim arrive in Beijing carrying the weight of international sanctions: Russia for its war in Ukraine, and North Korea for its relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons. Their presence at Xi’s side is intended to signal resilience in the face of Western isolation.
The parade will not only commemorate history but also showcase China’s modern military strength. Advanced fighter jets, missile defense systems, and cutting-edge hypersonic weapons will roll past under Xi’s watchful eye. Such displays are designed both to inspire national pride at home and to remind rivals abroad of China’s strategic reach.
Beyond the trio, leaders from Belarus, Iran, Indonesia, Serbia, and South Korea, along with a United Nations representative, are also expected to attend, highlighting Beijing’s ability to draw a wide spectrum of nations into its orbit. Notably absent, however, will be most Western leaders. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico remains the lone exception, underscoring the deep political divide.
Diplomats suggest the optics of Putin, Kim, and Xi together in Beijing send a clear message: these nations are strengthening an alternative power bloc, united by opposition to U.S. dominance and Western sanctions. For Washington and its allies, the parade will be read not merely as a historical commemoration but as a defiant geopolitical statement.