Beijing, China — September 3, 2025.
Chinese President Xi Jinping held an impressive military parade today to mark the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end, featuring over 10,000 troops and advanced weaponry such as hypersonic missiles, stealth fighter jets and drones; underscoring his growing military capabilities. Australia sent troops as observers.
Attended by several high-profile international leaders – such as Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Their attendance has been seen by analysts as signalling strategic alignment against Western powers; some even referring to this gathering as “The Axis of Upheaval.”
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un travelled to Beijing aboard his heavily fortified train, with senior officials as part of his most significant multilateral diplomatic engagement to date. Prior to arriving, Kim visited a missile lab, signaling North Korea’s commitment to its nuclear program; participating in this parade is seen as an effort by Kim to increase North Korea’s standing on the international scene. Reuters @ The Sun
+2 Its This event also highlighted China’s efforts to reshape global governance structures. President Xi Jinping made an impassioned plea for more equitable global order that prioritized multilateralism and sovereign equality; serving as a platform to present their vision of a new world order while further cementing China as an authoritative player within international politics.
Financial Times
The participation of leaders from Iran, Russia and North Korea highlights an emerging alliance against Western influence that presents a serious challenge to current international order and raises many questions regarding future dynamics of global power structures.
As the world watches China’s aggressive moves unfold, their long-term consequences on international relations and global stability remain to be determined. Beijing parade represents an important turning point in China’s attempts to assert its influence and challenge Western powers’ dominance of international politics.