China displayed its most recent generation of stealth fighters, tanks, and ballistic missiles amid a highly choreographed cast of thousands at a massive military parade in Beijing to honor the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the leader of the country’s military and the Chinese Communist Party, was in charge of the parade through Tiananmen Square on Wednesday morning.
Xi moved on to welcome Chinese military veterans before occupying his place at the center of the conversation, joining Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
In a crowd that included mostly non-Western nations, Putin and Kim were just two of the 26 world leaders who showed up at the parade.
Before addressing the 10,000 assembled People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Navy, and Air Force members, Xi stated that China would continue to “adhere to a path of peaceful development” by watching the parade from the Gate of Heavenly Peace.
He thanked foreign governments for their assistance as he described China’s victory over “Japanese aggression” in the “world anti-fascist war.” Despite playing a significant role in bringing an end to World War II, Xi did not name the United States by name.
The Chinese leader claimed that the war’s lessons are still relevant today.
According to an official read-out of his speech, “Humanity is again faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games.”
The Chinese people will stand firm on the side of human progress and the right of historical development, follow the peaceful development path, and work together with the rest of the world to create a community with a shared future for humanity, he declared.
He added that China’s military still has a significant influence on the country’s revival, which is one of Xi’s and Xi’s main ideological pillars.
It’s difficult to understate how much of this is a part of the Communist Party’s national psyche, which means that before World War II, China was oppressed, invaded, and humiliated by foreign forces, according to Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Beijing.
Yu remarked, “I believe Xi Jinping is making a point that this will never happen again.”
Before the parade began down Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue, a major thoroughfare in the Chinese capital, Xi took a tour of Tiananmen Square while standing in a car and greeting soldiers with salutations.
A new generation of hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, fighter jets, early warning aircraft, and aircraft jamming systems were the most popular weapons in the parade.
Long-range intercontinental missiles, which can launch nuclear weapons, were also prominent during the parade alongside en masse of military personnel unison marching in concert before a crowd of 50 000 spectators.
According to Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore, “the purpose is to reinforce the notion that the People’s Republic of China, PRC] has emerged as a formidable power under his leadership.”
The parade’s lineup of leaders, he said, adds that the PRC is unafraid of pressure and bullying, especially from the United States.
The Chinese air force conducted a flyover above the parade, complete with helicopters carrying banners stating “Justice will prevail,” “Peace will prevail,” and “The people will win.”
US President Donald Trump questioned Xi’s readiness to acknowledge the role the US played in World War II before wishing him well as the military parade on social media began.
The big question that needs to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the enormous support and “blood” that the United States of America gave China to aid in securing its FREEDOM from a hostile foreign invader, according to Trump.
“Many Americans lost their lives in China’s struggle for victory and glory,” Xi said.
