China will stage a grand military parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on September 03, 2025, showcasing its growing military alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, marking a bold display of solidarity amid tensions with the West.
The Victory Day parade, commemorating the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender, will feature thousands of troops, over 100 aircraft, and advanced weaponry, all domestically produced as confirmed by Maj. Gen. Wu Zeke.
The event, attended by 26 foreign leaders, highlights China’s push for a Beijing-led global order, with no major Western leaders present due to Putin’s controversial presence.
Geopolitical signaling is evident as Xi Jinping hosts Putin, embroiled in Ukraine, and Kim, whose rare international appearance underscores North Korea’s alignment with China and Russia.
Drew Thompson, a Singapore-based security expert, stated: “China intends to project strength to neighbors and rivals, This is a clear show of force.”
World third powerful military will showcase air and missile defense systems that could make an appearance include the HQ-19 and the more advanced HQ-26 and HQ-29.
Experts believe all of them are engineered to block and dismiss ballistic missiles and have abilities similar to U.S. systems.
Military observers are also watching for any new intercontinental ballistic missiles as well as new supersonic and hypersonic missiles.
Jet fighters are considered to be in laser-like focus after Pakistan claimed it used Chinese-built J-10Cs to shoot down Indian aircrafts including French-made Rafales during a four-day conflict in May, 2025 conflict.
Chinese government annual defense budgeting is estimated to be about a third of the $1.3 trillion spent by the United States.
China's goal is for military modernization to be basically complete by 2035, and for the Chinese military to be world class by 2049, the 100th anniversary of communist rule.