Xi Jinping Hosts Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin at Grand Beijing Military Parade

TDT | Manama

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Beijing witnessed an unprecedented show of diplomacy and military power on Wednesday as Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin at a massive military parade. The event, held in Tiananmen Square, marked 80 years since the end of World War II.

In a rare display, Xi shook hands and spoke with both leaders as they walked down a red carpet, with Putin at his right and Kim at his left. The gathering provided Xi an opportunity to showcase China’s growing military strength and unite friendly leaders in a statement against Western influence.

During his speech, Xi warned that the world still faced a choice between peace and war but emphasized that China was “unstoppable.” Among the military hardware on display was China’s new DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of striking targets up to 20,000 kilometers away. Other highlights included underwater drones, supersonic missiles, and advanced military vehicles.

The parade lasted 90 minutes, with Xi inspecting troops and weaponry from an open-top limousine along Chang’an Avenue before joining his guests in a viewing area above the portrait of Mao Zedong on Tiananmen Gate. Thousands of uniformed servicemen marched in precise formations, while warplanes and helicopters performed a spectacular flypast, some forming the number “80” in the sky.

The event drew sharp criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed on social media that the three leaders were conspiring against the United States.

This parade capped a busy week for Xi, who hosted leaders from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, promoting China as a central player in regional affairs. During the summit, Xi criticized “bullying behavior” from unspecified countries, while Putin defended Russia’s actions in Ukraine and blamed the West for the conflict. Many leaders from the summit, including Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, attended the parade.

No major Western officials were present among the two dozen world leaders attending the event, highlighting the contrast between China’s diplomatic outreach and Western engagement.