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Dewey Sim

Brilliant. Pivotal. Very well held. That is how some countries described the massive military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital on Wednesday.
But these countries are either some of China’s closest neighbours or part of the developing world – a group that Beijing has long sought to influence. Elsewhere, particularly in the West, the reaction was more critical.
The parade had a dual effect – it marked 80 years since the end of World War II and showcased China’s growing military might and rising diplomatic stature.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as he watched the parade, alongside two dozen other world leaders.
In his opening address, Xi sought to present China as a stabilising world power, warning that humanity once again faced the choice between peace or war and dialogue or confrontation.


Following the parade, Putin said the events were “held brilliantly, simply very well, at a high level”, according to Russia’s official Tass news agency.
In earlier talks with Xi, the Russian leader also touted Russia’s ties with China as “highly strategic” and having “reached a historic high”. He said the parade showed that the two neighbours were firmly committed to “safeguarding the fruits of the victory in World War II”.
An official Iranian statement said the parade showcased the abilities of the Chinese military.
“President [Masoud] Pezeshkian joined heads of state from over 25 countries at the event, underscoring the significance of international solidarity in commemorating this pivotal moment in history,” the statement said.
“The parade highlighted the latest military equipment and weaponry of the Chinese military, reflecting the nation’s advancements in defence technology.”
In a social media post with a group photograph of the world leaders watching the parade, Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the event reaffirmed his country’s “foreign policy commitment to fostering friendship and constructive dialogue for peace … and prosperity”.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel chimed in, saying China “leads the fight to defend multilateralism and global governance”, and that Cuba was proud to support and practice these ideals.

Southeast Asia, a region that Beijing has also been eager to woo, showed up in force for the parade, with appearances by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Vietnamese President Luong Cuong, among others.
Prabowo made an eleventh-hour decision to visit China after initially cancelling his trip due to protests at home.
During a meeting on the sidelines, Xi told Prabowo that his attendance at the parade showed the importance he attached to bilateral ties. He added that Beijing supported Prabowo’s governance.
Meanwhile, Anwar said on social media on Wednesday that he was “honoured” to attend the parade
Anwar said the parade was an “impressive display of China’s military assets” and that it “stood as a powerful symbol of resistance against tyranny, oppression, aggression, greed for power, colonialism and imperialism”.
Vietnamese media said Cuong’s attendance “reaffirmed Vietnam’s responsible voice for global peace, security and development” and also spoke to the country’s “foreign policy of independence”.
Meanwhile, Tokyo was “closely watching related moves with interest”, according to Japanese media reports, with the government saying again that the country was committed to not repeating the tragedy of war.
Former Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama attended the parade, a decision that attracted some criticism at home. Beijing had earlier protested over reports that Tokyo had asked foreign leaders not to attend the parade, warning of the event’s anti-Japanese overtones.
However, Engin Eroglu, head of the European Parliament China committee, took to social media to accuse Beijing of siding with the aggressor in the Ukraine war.

“Two of China’s allies are directly responsible for the largest land war on European soil since World War II, yet China’s leader is talking about a choice between peace and war,” Eroglu said.
“China has already made its choice in 2022, it sided with the aggressor.”
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told reporters on Wednesday that “an autocratic alliance is seeking a fast track to a new world order”.
“Looking at President Xi standing alongside the leaders of Russia, Iran, [and] North Korea in Beijing today, these aren’t just anti-Western optics: This is a direct challenge to the international system built on rules,” she said.
“And it’s not just symbolic. Russia’s war in Ukraine is being sustained by Chinese support. These are realities that Europe needs to confront.”
Speaking to Fox News, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth blamed the former Biden administration for pushing China and Russia closer together and a lack of American leadership that “manifests in what we saw on TV last night”, but he stressed that Washington still has a military advantage over Beijing.
Only two heads of government from Europe attended the parade – Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. The South China Morning Post earlier reported that European missions were particularly bothered by Putin’s attendance at the event as the Ukraine war dragged on.
And on Wednesday morning, as the parade began, US President Donald Trump took to social media to ask if Xi would mention the contribution and sacrifices of the US in the war against the Japanese.
“May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration,” he wrote.
“Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”


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Russia, Iran and Cuba credit the host with showcasing the strength of the Chinese military


Russia, Iran and Cuba credit the host with showcasing the strength of the Chinese military.


The reviews are in: China’s allies give military parade top marks but the West is not won over

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Russia, Iran and Cuba credit the host with showcasing the strength of the Chinese military

Russia, Iran and Cuba credit the host with showcasing the strength of the Chinese military