Was Beijing’s military parade a symbol of China’s new authority and standing vis-à-vis the United States?

The September 3 military parade in Beijing, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan in World War II, was one of the largest military displays in Chinese history.

The event, with its symbolic elements, which included the giant golden numbers 1945 and 2025 in Tiananmen Square to mark 80 years since the end of World War II and Japan’s surrender, was not simply a ceremonial event; rather, it was a political and strategic statement that demonstrated how the Chinese Communist Party uses a combination of historical memory, political legitimacy, and military technology to redefine its place in the world.

History as a Source of Legitimacy

China has a unique narrative of World War II: a nation that, despite poverty and weakness, stood by the Allies and helped defeat fascism. By recalling this narrative, Beijing is trying to cement its place in world history and strengthen the political legitimacy of the Communist Party.

Of course, China’s view of war history has not always been consistent. From the end of World War II until 2012, Chinese rulers did not pay much attention to war history, and this view did not change even after the economic reforms of 1978.

But since 2012, under Xi Jinping, war history has become more important. In 2014, as he was advancing China toward becoming a global power, he designated September 3 as “Victory Day” and held his first military parade on that day a year later, on the 70th anniversary. The Chinese remember Japan’s defeat as a turning point that transformed the Chinese nation from a deep crisis to a great rejuvenation. A narrative that uses history as a tool to legitimize party rule and Xi Jinping’s leadership, and presents China’s current military power as a guarantee of national dignity and proof that the country will no longer be bullied.

In this regard, and at the aforementioned parade, Xi Jinping emphasized in his speech: "The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable." This sentence clearly showed the connection between the past and the present: just as the victory over Japan marked the end of the "century of humiliation," today the People's Liberation Army (PLA) ensures that such a situation will not be repeated and that their path is moving forward.

The center of gravity of the above parade was the introduction of a new generation of ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

• The DF-5C, capable of carrying 12 nuclear warheads, symbolizes the enhancement of China's strategic deterrence.

• The DF-26D, known as the "Guam killer," is a direct threat to US bases in the Pacific.

• The YJ-21 hypersonic missiles are also designed to counter aircraft carriers.

These weapons show that China, rather than competing in traditional numbers of ships and aircraft, is seeking to create an asymmetric deterrent, one that would raise the costs of any US military action in the region.

The war in Ukraine proved that drones can change the balance of the battlefield, and China has taken this lesson seriously. Hundreds of stealthy, suicide and reconnaissance combat drones were on display at the Beijing parade.

At the same time, Beijing introduced its “anti-drone triad”:

• Short-range interceptor missiles.

• Laser weapons capable of destroying aerial targets.

• Microwave systems to disable drone swarms.

This combination is a sign of China’s efforts to redesign the rules of future warfare.

In addition to missiles and drones, China also unveiled a new generation of new equipment:

• Type-99A tanks with advanced armor and communications systems.

• Fifth-generation J-20 and J-35 stealth fighter jets.

• Unmanned submarines for long-term deep-sea operations.

• And even four-legged robots called robotic wolves that are being tested in ground operations.

More than just a show, these displays conveyed the message that the Chinese military is moving toward a fusion of new technologies with classic combat prowess.

One of the most iconic parts of the parade was the display of images from the 1949 parade alongside today’s. The comparison of the plainclothes soldiers of that time with the equipped army of today was a tangible account of the “great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” a project that Xi Jinping sees as the Communist Party’s historic mission.

Domestic and Foreign Messages

The parade’s message to the home was clear: “China’s ruling government is the custodian of historical honor and the guarantor of a secure future.” This message reinforces social cohesion and reproduces the political legitimacy of the ruling party.

The foreign message, however, is more complex. At the ceremony, Xi Jinping warned the United States and its allies that the era of Washington’s absolute dominance in Asia was over, saying that “today humanity is once again faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games.” At the same time, he sent a signal to non-Western and developing countries that Beijing is not only an economic power but also a reliable military power.

In sum, it can be argued that Beijing’s 2025 parade went beyond a military spectacle and transformed history into a tool for domestic legitimization, revealing China’s new military doctrine, organized around technological and asymmetric deterrence, and charting the future of warfare with an emphasis on drones, artificial intelligence, and new weapons. In other words, the parade was a strategic statement: China showed that it had not only learned from the past but was also prepared for a future in which it could change the balance of power in Asia and the world.