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China showcased advanced high-tech weapons and its modern warfare capabilities at the grand military parade in Beijing on September 3, 2025, which featured more than 10,000 troops, over 100 aircraft and hundreds of ground vehicles. The Victory Day parade marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.

China unveiled latest stealth fighter jets, anti-ship missiles, air-defense systems, new intercontinental ballistic missile, undersea drones, as well as robot dogs, revealing the country’s growing military strength under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision to modernize the world’s largest standing army.

The ceremony brought together high-profile foreign dignitaries. With Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un among the guests of honor, the display was as much a demonstration of Beijing’s military progress as it was a carefully orchestrated message about China’s role in shaping a new world order.

Grand display of China’s Military Strength

More than 50,000 people filled the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, where President Xi Jinping presided over a massive show of military hardware. Thousands of Chinese troops paid guard of honor in precise formations, accompanied by tanks, armored vehicles, and state-of-the-art missile systems.

Overhead, a fleet of fighter jets and bombers roared through Beijing’s skies, performing flyovers that drew applause from invited audiences. The parade highlighted a wide range of advanced systems, including hypersonic missiles, stealth drones, and modernized naval strike capabilities.

Xi Jinping, dressed in a grey Mao-style suit, reviewed the troops from an open-top limousine, saluting units as they passed. In his keynote speech, he emphasized both national pride and military readiness.

“Today we honor the heroes who fought to secure peace, but we also show the world that the Chinese people are ready to defend our sovereignty and national security,” Xi declared. His remarks reinforced the dual message of commemoration and deterrence, linking China’s historical sacrifices to its modern strategic ambitions.

Troop formations assembled and aircraft took to skies on Wednesday morning for a march-past, which was part of a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.… pic.twitter.com/BGEQFSer1h

— CCTV+ (@CCTV_Plus) September 3, 2025

World leaders at China’s Victory Day military parade

As many as 26 foreign leaders have traveled to China, with some attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), while others arrived for the military parade, signifying China’s strong global partnerships at a time of tense relations with the West.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were the most prominent guests, standing alongside Xi Jinping throughout the ceremony. Kim’s teenage daughter, Kim Ju Ae, made her first known overseas appearance at the event, reinforcing speculation about her role as a potential successor.

The presence of Kim and Putin at China’s grand parade highlighted the deepening alignment between Beijing, Moscow, and Pyongyang in the face of growing confrontation with the West. Putin, seated next to Xi, was warmly received and later escorted in an armored limousine by the Chinese leader. The gesture symbolized a tightening partnership at a time when Russia is increasingly isolated due to its ongoing war in Ukraine.

Kim Jong Un was given special prominence during the event. His attendance marked the first time a North Korean leader had appeared at such a high-profile Chinese military commemoration in decades.

Analysts suggested that the symbolism was clear: China wanted to signal unity with its closest regional ally at a moment of heightened tensions with the United States, Japan, and South Korea. The optics of Xi flanked by Putin and Kim underlined a shifting geopolitical landscape, where China is positioning itself at the center of a new axis challenging Western dominance.

Besides Putin and Kim, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing were among those seated near the front rows. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa also attended, signaling the depth of China’s partnerships across Asia.

From Southeast Asia, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu were in attendance, reflecting the strong presence of ASEAN leaders. Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also joined the commemorations.

African representation came from Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while Latin America was represented by leaders such as Venezuelan officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Notably, only two European leaders made the trip to Beijing: Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. Their attendance underscored the divide in Europe over relations with China and Russia, with both leaders positioning themselves closer to Moscow and Beijing than to Brussels.

Notable absences were the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had attended the SCO summit days earlier in the nearby city of Tianjin and departed before the parade. Their absence from the Victory Day stage was a subtle but notable signal that both countries balance ties with Beijing while remaining cautious about being too closely aligned with China’s growing bloc.

China unveils new hypersonic missiles, underwater drones and high-tech systems

China’s military tech took a major leap forward this year. The country unveiled a new generation of advanced military platforms, underscoring its ambitions to modernize across all domains, land, sea, air, space, and cyber, while achieving greater survivability, precision, and deterrence.

Among the highlights were the hypersonic missile, designed to evade missile defenses, and the latest unmanned combat drones capable of long-range precision strikes.

Hypersonic Missiles: The parade showcased an array of hypersonic anti-ship missiles, among them the YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20. These missiles, featuring hypersonic glide vehicles and cruise variants, are designed for rapid deployment from air, land, and sea platforms. The new YJ-15 hypersonic missile was showcased for the first time during the parade. The YJ, or Ying Ji (eagle attack), line of rockets can be launched from ships or aircraft and is designed to pierce through large vessels, inflicting significant damage on impact.

ICBMs: The Chinese military also rolled out three new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles: the Dong Feng-61 (DF-61), the updated DF-31BJ variant, and the Dong Feng-5C (DF-5C).

Chinese state media highlighted the DF-5C as the centerpiece of the display, claiming it has a range of more than 20,000 kilometers, enough to reach targets anywhere in the world. Reports also suggest the missile can carry up to 12 warheads on a single launch, underscoring its potential as one of the most powerful weapons in China’s nuclear inventory.

HQ-29 system: The parade marked the debut of China’s first space defense system, the HQ-29. The missile can take down foreign satellites with one blow, further highlighting the country’s aerial dominance.  Debuting in Tiananmen Square, the HQ-11, HQ-20, HQ-22A, HQ-9C, HQ-19, and HQ-29 form a multi-layered air defense network capable of intercepting threats at all ranges, strengthening China’s air and space security.

UAVs: The parade showcased a diverse array of aerial drones designed for both attack and surveillance, highlighting China’s rapid advancements in unmanned technology. Ground forces were equipped with autonomous systems, including small surveillance drones mounted on tanks and robot dogs accompanying electronic warfare units. Several new types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made their debut, such as armed reconnaissance drones, wingman drones, air superiority drones, and shipborne unmanned helicopters.

Fighter Jets and Advanced Aircraft: The flypast at the parade offered an insight into China’s growing airpower, led by the J-20 stealth fighter, upgraded J-16s, carrier-based J-15s, and the debut of the J-35A – China’s next-gen stealth fighter, widely expected to join its expanding aircraft carrier fleet.

Also on display were advanced variants, such as the electronic warfare aircraft J-16D and the J-20S, the world’s first two-seat fifth-generation fighter, which showcases China’s lead in manned-unmanned combat teaming. The flypast also marked the debut of the KJ-600, a fixed-wing carrier-borne early warning aircraft seen flying alongside the J-15T.

Underwater Drones: China unveiled multiple unmanned maritime combat systems at the parade, including unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), unmanned ship, and unmanned mine-laying system.

Beijing also unveiled its latest Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV), the flagship AJX002. Measuring just over 18 meters, the stealth-capable sea drone is built for covert operations beneath the surface. It joins an already extensive lineup of Chinese XLUUVs. At least five distinct models are believed to be in service, cementing China’s growing edge in undersea drone technology.

Laser and Microwave Weapons: China displayed an integrated suite of directed-energy weapons as part of its evolving counter-drone and anti-aircraft capabilities. China’s new anti-drone arsenal, missile-artillery systems, high-energy lasers, and microwave weapons, forms a “powerful iron triangle” capable of both soft and hard-kill targets.

A key highlight was the LY-1 shipborne laser, designed to counter drones and anti-ship missiles with high precision and low cost. Also featured were the HHQ-9C, HQ-16C hipborne air defense weapons.

Ground power: The parade highlighted a range of advanced armored vehicles signaling significant upgrades to China’s ground forces. Leading the formation were the Type 99B main battle tank, alongside the newly introduced Type 100 tank and Type 100 support vehicle, both boasting enhanced firepower, improved protection, and advanced digital systems for battlefield awareness.

Also featured were versatile amphibious and airborne combat vehicles, designed for rapid deployment including being air-dropped from transport aircraft alongside new long-range artillery systems.

China showcases its full nuclear triad for the first time

China displayed full-spectrum of its nuclear triad of weapons that can be deployed from land, sea, and air for the first time during a major military parade, marking a significant milestone in its military modernization.

This included an upgraded version of the DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), capable of carrying multiple warheads to global targets, JingLei-1 (JL-1) air-launched ballistic missile, China’s most advanced submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) JuLang-3 (JL-3), as well as both the DongFeng-61 (DF-61) and new DongFeng-31 (DF-31) ICBMs. Together, these systems mark a major step toward a more survivable second-strike capability, reinforcing Beijing’s long-standing “no first use” doctrine.

Hypersonic, supersonic, and autonomous weapons featured at the parade, alongside advanced drone and anti-drone systems that underscored China’s growing focus on unmanned and next-generation warfare. The event marked a structural shift in the PLA, with formations from cyber, information, and aerospace forces on display, highlighting Beijing’s growing focus on digital and multi-domain operations.

“Peace must be defended with strength”: Xi

In his speech, Xi Jinping sought to frame the parade not as an act of aggression but as a continuation of China’s historical resistance against imperialism and foreign domination. He invoked the memory of World War II, particularly Japan’s invasion of China, to stress the importance of vigilance and unity. “The Chinese people will never allow history to repeat itself. We stand for peace, but peace must be defended with strength,” Xi said.

The government’s portrayal of the event emphasized themes of national rejuvenation and historical justice. State media outlets framed the parade as both a tribute to the fallen and a necessary reminder to the world that China’s rise is unstoppable.

Documentaries, interviews with veterans, and patriotic songs accompanied coverage of the parade, reinforcing the official narrative that China’s military modernization is defensive in nature and rooted in past struggles.

Western response

The grand parade quickly drew responses from abroad, particularly from Washington and allied capitals. U.S. officials characterized the event as a provocative display intended to intimidate neighbors and escalate regional tensions.

In Tokyo and Seoul, there was unease over the presence of Kim Jong Un and the unveiling of advanced Chinese missile technology. Officials in both countries stressed the importance of strengthening their own defense capabilities and deepening security cooperation with the United States.

European reactions were more muted but still wary. Some European Union officials expressed concern that the parade, far from being a commemoration of peace, represented an escalation in military posturing. NATO, already grappling with challenges posed by Russia, viewed the spectacle as further evidence of an emerging strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing.

The alignment of three nuclear powers, China, Russia, and North Korea, was widely seen as a development that could reshape global security dynamics in the years ahead.

First Published on September 3, 2025