China has displayed its military might in Beijing on September 3. Thousands of troops participated in the military parade, displaying the world’s most modern weaponry.
The event marked 80 years since China’s victory over Japan in World War-II. It is second time in 10 years that Beijing has marked the event. China organised the last parade in 2015. Some 50,000 people saw the Wednesday’s parade amid tight security arrangements.
Chinese President Xi Jinping appeared in public along with Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jung Un and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Reports say some 24 leaders and dignitaries, including Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Vietnam President Luong Cuong and Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa, attended the military parade.
However, most European leaders, except those of Slovakia and Serbia, whom Beijing had invited to the “Victory Day” event, opted to stay away. Many believe they favoured Japan’s “request“. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korea President Lee Jae Myung were among the Asian leaders who skipped the parade despite getting invitation. Tokyo has its own interpretation of the event which China has dubbed “Anti-Fascist Day” or “Victory Day.”
Modi’s Absence:
If the world is discussing Putin and Kim Jung Un’s presence in the parade, it also highlighting Modi’s absence.
Interestingly, the official X accounts of the government of Pakistan and Shehbaz Sharif seemed less interested in highlighting the PM presence in the event. Although, many analysts are eagerly displaying it.
Analysts believe Beijing’s display of weaponry was intended as a show of military might. With Russian and North Korea’s leader in attendance, the event further endorsed its global significance. It, they viewed, sent a clear diplomatic message to China’s competitors, particularly Japan and the USA.
Modi, who sees India as itself a regional power, avoided attending the event for obvious reason. He arrived at Tianjin SCO Summit 2025 directly from Tokyo, securing multi-billion-dollar Japanese investment in his country. India is member of QUAD- “a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States committed to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient.”
India and China’s relations have recently seen a thaw, perhaps due to Trump stance on trade tariffs. But, many believe, Modi still wants a breakthrough with Washington. He quietly returned to India after attending the two-day SCO Summit.
Bitterness in India-US relations has placed Pakistan in a relaxed position, at least for the time being. So it is a win-win situation for Pakistan. Pakistan’s Field Marshal can share a dinner with Trump, its Prime Minister can sit alongside Xi at the military parade with comfort. Islamabad, in Chief of Army Staff’s (real architects of Pakistan foreign policy) words, also has experience in balancing its relations with Beijing and Washington.
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