China organized a grand military parade on September 3, 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The event not only honored sacrifices made during the war but also reflects China’s ongoing determination to safeguard peace and stability in the new era.

The country showcased some new land, sea, and air-based strategic weapons, hypersonic precision strike weapons, and unmanned and counter-unmanned equipment to the outside world for the first time. The military parade featured new fourth-generation equipment as the core including advanced tanks, carrier-based aircraft, and fighter jets organized into operational modules to demonstrate the country’s progress in modernizing its defense capabilities.

The South East Asian Bonhomie
A total of 26 foreign leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK’s top leader Kim Jong Un attended the parade in Beijing. The event marked the joint victory of the Chinese people and the people across the world over fascism. China and the Soviet Union, hosting the main anti-fascism battlefields in Asia and Europe, represented the backbone in the fight against militarism and made enormous national sacrifices.

Putin’s presence highlighted the longstanding China-Russia partnership and their shared commitment to safeguarding the fruits of World War II. China and DPRK, as friendly neighbors, recalled their common struggle against Japanese aggression for the cause of humanity.

Leaders from Southeast Asia’s largest economies including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam participated in the parade, testifying to Beijing’s deepening ties with its neighbors. Leaders from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar also appeared after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. 

The collective participation demonstrates the region’s support for multilateralism and a more balanced, cooperative international order. Commemorating the war is not about perpetuating confrontation but about uniting nations to jointly foster an environment of peace and development, which remains the core direction of China’s diplomacy.

China’s Role in WWII
World War II in Asia began with Japan’s aggression of China in 1931, making China the sole major battlefield against fascism for years before the Pacific War. China’s role in World War II was significant as the main theater of the war in the East, and the country bore the brunt of Japanese invasion and ultimately contributed to the Allied victory through prolonged resistance, immense sacrifice, and vital strategic support. The war caused devastation in China, with estimates of over 35 million civilian and military deaths. China never surrendered. It tied down large numbers of Japanese troops, preventing them from being deployed elsewhere, and created conditions for the broader Allied victory.

China, recognized as one of the anti-fascist Allied “Big Four,” was also a founding member of the United Nations (UN). China was a key player in the Declaration by the UN in 1942, laying the groundwork for the UN and the post-war international order.

This history explains the deep symbolism of the V-Day parade. It serves as a reminder to the international community, especially Japan, of the need to correctly view and reflect upon history and remain committed to peaceful development. China is committed to peace and will not use the initiative to provoke conflict. By demonstrating sufficient strength, Beijing underscores that power is the cornerstone of peace and a means of effectively safeguarding national security and regional stability.

SCO Summit and Multilateralism
Prior to the parade, the SCO Tianjin Summit gathered leaders including Chinese President Xi Jinping, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Putin. Modi’s visit to China after a seven-year gap highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two major Asian powers. Recent discussions between China and India including agreements to resume direct flights, step up trade and investment flow, and facilitate visa procedures, evidence that dialogue remains the path forward.

The summit represented a strategic geopolitical move, a refusal to surrender to extraneous pressures aiming to push a wedge between China, Russia, and India. It demonstrated the determination of the three big powers and other members to enhance mutual trust, promote economic cooperation, and jointly oppose unilateralism and protectionism.

China, Russia and India have all been on the receiving end of U.S. tariffs linked to geopolitical and trade considerations. In August 2025, the U.S. imposed a 25 percent “secondary tariff” on Indian goods, bringing the total tariff burden to 50 percent, in response to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil. 

Trump alienated China further by threatening to unleash a penal tariff as high as 200 percent unless it turns over supply of rare earth magnets, materials critical to industries ranging from smartphones to defense applications. While the direct economic impact on China is limited, these developments underscore the strategic importance of rare earths to global manufacturing and China’s continued leading role in this sector, positioning them as a key asset in trade negotiations. Trump, obviously, is getting choked with nightmares of a tariff boomerang, in the event of a China-India-Russia axis. 

The timing of the SCO Summit and the parade underscores that Asia’s major powers are committed to multilateralism, regional cooperation, and win-win development. In a world of rising uncertainty, the message from Beijing is clear: peace and development remain the prevailing trend of the times, and hegemony and confrontation have no future.

The author Rama Chandran is a writer and editor based in Kochi, India. He previously served as chief editor of Janmabhumi Daily.