Xi, Kim, Putin appear together
The leaders of China, Russia and North Korea have been photographed walking to the parade together. It is a striking image, that has been beamed onto large screens in Beijing.
Xi Jinping (C) walks alongside Russia’s president Vladimir Putin (centre L) and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un (centre R). Photograph: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 22.23 EDT
Key events
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We are going to wrap up our live coverage of the military parade in Beijing. Thanks for following along. Our full report on the day’s events can be found here:
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Helen Davidson
Some more observations from military analysts, who were keenly watching the parade for signs of new Chinese advancements.
A key takeaway for Ying-Yu Lin, an associate professor at the institute of international affairs and strategic studies at Tamkang University in Taiwan, was a growing emphasis on counter drone systems, and airborne early warning aircraft.
“I think these changes come from lessons drawn from the Russia–Ukraine war, where we saw drones being widely used. For the PLA, this has meant integrating its electro-optical and radar systems into counter-drone applications,” Lin told the Guardian.
“The clear message they want to send is that their air force now has the ability to conduct system-of-systems operations,” he said, referring to multiple independent systems that coordinate for a joint purpose.
Raymond Kuo, senior political scientist and director at Rand Corporation, said the range of missiles on display showed progress in China’s efforts to build a “triad” of systems.
He said China had developed fields of siloes holding ICMB launchers deep inside Chinese territory, but they had weaknesses. “They’re relatively slow to prepare and launch, and everyone knows exactly where they are,” said Kuo.
To compliment them, China has planes – like the H6 bombers mentioned earlier – that can fire missiles from the sky, and sea-launch missiles that rely on stealth, like the new JL3 ICBM noted by ex PLA colonel Zhou Bo.
“You can potentially get a nuclear submarine right up to the border [of your target] and then launch with about five minutes warning,” he said.
“Each leg of the triad offsets a problem found in the others.”
Kuo also said there were clear signs of China building its nuclear arsenal, no longer satisfied with just having enough to back up its doctrine of no first strike, and minimal retaliation.
“They’re no longer comfortable with the US having more nuclear weapons, and they want to make sure silos don’t get knocked out and if they do they can strike back,” he said.
Additional reporting by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu.
ShareEvent summary
Thank you for keeping up with our coverage of China’s victory day parade in Beijing. Here’s a breakdown of today’s key events:
China’s Xi Jinping hosted a large military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war.
Dozens of world leaders attended the event in Beijing, but almost none from major western countries.
Among those attending were the leaders of Myanmar and Iran.
The major moment happened before the parade even started, when Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un stood either side of Xi Jinping as they made their way to their seats – making for a powerful photo op.
Donald Trump was not happy and posted on Truth Social to vent, saying “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
Trump had earlier told reporters he did not see the parade as a challenge to the United States and reiterated his “very good relationship” with Xi.
Xi addressed crowds gathered at Tiananmen Square in a short speech, in which he said the world “has to choose between peace and war” and warned China was “unstoppable”.
Xi said the Chinese people were “on the right side of history”.
The Chinese leader then surveyed PLA troops from an open-topped car, before returning to his seat.
An array of land, sea and sky military equipment were displayed in the parade, which ended with the release of 80,000 doves.
Kim Jong-un travelled to the event with his daughter Kim Ju-ae, whom South Korean intelligence consider his most likely successor.
Updated at 23.53 EDT
Some more images of Putin at the parade:
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrives to attend the military parade Photograph: Sergey Bobylev/ReutersPutin in Beijing Photograph: Sergey Bobylev/ReutersPutin, Xi and Kim Photograph: Alexander Kazakov/ReutersShare
Earlier, we reported that former Australian Labor state premier Bob Carr was attending the parade with Dan Andrews.
We can now clarify that Carr is in Beijing, but not at the parade.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Carr is attending separate indoor events later in the day to mark the 80th anniversary of China’s role in World War II. He is also addressing two Chinese international relations think tanks.
Carr said from China:
I told the Chinese I wouldn’t be attending the parade but that I’d like to accelerate arrangements to talk to think-tanks.
Updated at 23.22 EDT
There were almost no western leaders among the 26 foreign heads of state attending the victory day parade, despite China’s partnership with the Allied powers in the Pacific Theatre during the second world war.
There was an exception in the invite of Robert Fico, prime minister of Slovakia – a member of the European Union. Serbia’s president Aleksander Vucic also attended the parade.
The Serbian and Slovakian leaders are both friendly with Russia.
Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico. Photograph: Jade Gao/APShareHelen Davidson
As the dignitaries filed in – with Xi, Putin and Kim in the lead – the state media broadcast noted the presence of war veterans, including some from Taiwan.
The anniversary has underscored some less-discussed aspects of the Taiwan China tensions.
The second world war came to China – then known as the Republic of China (ROC) – while the country was in the midst of its own civil war, between the ROC rulers, the Kuomintang, and the newly formed Chinese Communist party. The two sides paused their battle fight alongside each other against Japan.
After Japan surrendered, Taiwan, which had been ruled by Japan, was returned to the ROC. But the civil war had resumed, and soon, the CCP took control of the mainland and the ROC’s KMT leaders fled to Taiwan. The CCP established the People’s Republic of China, and the KMT established the ROC government in exile, intending to regroup and one day retake the mainland (spoiler: they didn’t).
This is the very simplified background to the CCP’s claim over Taiwan today.
But when it comes to the second world war, the two sides are also in dispute over who really led the fight against Japan.
Beijing has mounted a campaign to emphasise the “correct view” of the history, emphasising that China and Soviet Russia played a pivotal role, and claiming that the CCP’s wartime efforts were “deliberately belittled and vilified”. Throughout the summer cinemas showed blockbusters that celebrated the battles fought by China against fascist aggressors, prompting a wave of patriotism among viewers.
War medals are seen on a military veteran as they attend a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 03, 2025, in Beijing, China. Photograph: Lintao Zhang/Getty Images
In Taiwan, officials say the fight was mostly led by the KMT and its leader, Chiang Kai-shek, noting that they were the ones to sign peace agreements as allied nations.
“During the Republic of China’s war of resistance against Japan, the People’s Republic of China did not even exist, but the Chinese communist regime has in recent years repeatedly distorted the facts, claiming it was the [Chinese] Communist Party who led the war of resistance,” Mainland Affairs Council minister Chiu Chui-cheng said last month.
The council said the communists’ strategy at the time was “70% about strengthening themselves, 20% dealing with the Nationalist government and 10% about opposing Japan,” repeating an old wartime accusation against Mao the CCP has denied.
Updated at 23.11 EDT
A new photograph has emerged showing Dan Andrews, the former Labor premier of the Australian state of Victoria, standing among global leaders before the parade.
You can spot him in the back right corner, behind Putin, Xi and Kim.
Another former Labor state premier, Bob Carr of New South Wales, is also reportedly a guest at the parade.
Critics, including opposition leader Sussan Ley, say the pair risk being used in CCP propaganda.
But Carr told The Australian his attendance was in recognition of China and Australia’s shared second world war history, arguing that Chinese resistance defended Australia from direct naval assault by Japan.
Carr led the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney from 2014 to 2019.
Andrews signed Victoria on to China’s belt and road initiative, before it was vetoed by the Morrison government.
Leaders pose for a group photo ahead of a military parade in Beijing, China. Photograph: Sergei Bobylev/APShare
Updated at 22.59 EDT
Military hardware on displayHelen Davidson
There’s an extraordinary amount of military hardware on display.
We’ve seen everything from tanks and drones to long-range and nuclear capable missiles, fighter jets and stealth aircraft. The long-distance nuclear capable H6 bombers, and the J-16 and J-20 fighters (most often seen running harassment sorties into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone) are among the planes doing flyover displays above the square.
New stealth fighters are also flying V formations, a livestream from inside cockpits showing pilots giving a salute as they fly past.
China Parade
Military equipment passes during the military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender held in front of Tiananmen Gate in Beijing, Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2025. Photograph: Ng Han Guan/AP
There were reports of the J15-DT – China’s new carrier-based electronic warfare also appearing. The development of the new aircraft has been closely watched by military observers.
The Dongfeng-61 missile was noted by some analysts.
It is a hypersonic, road mobile missile with a vertical erector, which one analyst said made it “much harder to spot and therefore hit prior to launch”.
“Being a hypersonic, it’s much harder to track and shoot down before it hits its target,” the analyst said
Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam school of international studies said:
The parade is a clear demonstration of the PLA’s expanding capabilities in both strategic and conventional domains which is intended to give the United States, Europe and China’s neighbours pause should they consider challenging China’s core national interests.
Zhou Bo, a retired senior Chinese army colonel, said the parade was “eye-opening” in terms of China’s advancement.
He said the ICBMs – Intercontinental ballistic missiles – are impressive but seen before.
The JL3 ICBM, which can be launched from under the sea, “is something new” and “very impressive”, he told China’s state media CGTN.
Updated at 22.43 EDT
Parade ends
The parade has now ended, balloons are being released into the sky en masse.
Balloons and doves are released into the air during a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Tiananmen Square on September 03, 2025, in Beijing, China. Photograph: Lintao Zhang/Getty ImagesShare
Updated at 22.34 EDT
For readers who are not hardware-heads, a new range of military equipment is making its public debut today.
An aerial display of military aircraft is moving through the sky in a V formation, leaving a trail of brightly coloured smoke.
A flock of doves has just been released into the sky.
Let’s take a look at some of the hardware on display today:
The HSU100 unmanned underwater vehicle is seen during a military parade Photograph: Pedro Pardo/AFP/Getty ImagesHypersonic missiles Photograph: Ng Han Guan/APShareSnap analysis: Xi’s speechHelen Davidson
Xi Jinping’s short speech praised the “huge national sacrifice” of the Chinese people in fighting the war, but it also contained messages for today’s world.
Chinese people rallied together to defy the enemy … Today humanity again has to choose between peace and war.
He said China was a great nation which “is never intimidated by any bullies and always values independence and forges ahead”, according to the state media translation. He said the past showed that Chinese people always rally together “to defy the enemy” when faced with adversity.
Xi’s speech contained several references to the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” – a common phrase for Xi’s overarching plan for China’s future which hinges on Taiwan.
Xi and the CCP claim Taiwan is a Chinese province, now run by illegal separatists, and he has vowed to annex it under what he terms “reunification”. Taiwan’s government and people are opposed to this.
But Xi’s speech, while not specifically referencing Taiwan, makes it very clear that it’s still high on his agenda. He has pledged that China will take Taiwan by military force if necessary – and the parade display is also a strong demonstration of military capabilities.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been undergoing modernisation under Xi, but it is also been beset by corruption issues, and in the last few years there have been purges of officials and personnel at levels not seen since the Mao Zedong era.
Xi seemed to reference that in his speech too, with a line that could be read as reassurance to people worried about it, and a warning to those inside the force.
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army has been and always will be the heroic armed forces that the party and the people can fully trust and rely on. All service members should faithfully perform their sacred duties, speed up the building of a world class military, and firmly safeguard China’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.
Updated at 23.35 EDT
Read more about the significant meeting of Xi, Putin and Kim here: