Beijing is preparing for one of its most elaborate military parades in recent history, a carefully staged event that underscores President Xi Jinping’s ambition to project strength both at home and abroad.
Eight giant Chinese flags now flank the portrait of Mao Zedong at Tiananmen Square, overlooking seating for 26 foreign leaders, including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Around 50,000 guests are expected as the Chinese capital transforms into a stage for political theatre and military might.
The parade officially commemorates 80 years since Japan’s surrender in World War II. But for Xi, it is far more than a historical remembrance; it is a statement of power. This week has already marked several breakthroughs for the Chinese leader. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Beijing for the first time in seven years.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit concluded with more than 20 world leaders attending, the largest gathering in its history. And for the first time since 1959, a North Korean leader will attend a Chinese military parade. With Putin and Kim by his side, Xi will be framed as the centre of a new axis challenging U.S. dominance, even as Western leaders remain absent.
Onlookers will witness precise troop formations, new hypersonic weapons, and unmanned underwater drones, signalling China’s growing readiness to rival the United States in any conflict.
Leaders from Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and several Central Asian countries are also in attendance. Yet the parade is not only about geopolitics. At home, it carries a clear domestic message of pride and patriotism, at a time when China faces economic stagnation, youth unemployment, and rising discontent online.
Months of preparation have transformed Beijing into a city under tight security. Road closures, subway shutdowns, and business suspensions have disrupted daily life. Residents near Chang’an Avenue have been told to stay off balconies during rehearsals.
Shared city bikes have been removed to restrict movement. Guards watch bridges and overpasses around the clock to prevent protests. The last time Beijing saw such tension was three years ago, when a protester unfurled a banner criticising Xi on a highway bridge. The Party is determined not to see a repeat.
Officials have installed 200,000 flags, floral installations, and new city lightscapes to frame the capital in patriotic colours. Rehearsals have been accompanied by the sound of tanks rolling through the night.
Even the weather is being monitored, with speculation about cloud-seeding to ensure clear skies. For Xi, this parade is not just a commemoration of the past but a carefully scripted declaration of China’s global ambitions and the Communist Party’s control over its future.
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