To be able to witness the grand military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was an unforgettable experience.
The guard of honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) attends a parade in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua)
As President Xi Jinping pointed out, this was the first complete victory won by the Chinese people in their resistance against foreign aggression and also made a major contribution to the triumph of the world against fascism.
China had promised to show the world the advances in its self-defensive capabilities. And with an array of new weaponry displayed for the first time, including a land, sea and air nuclear triad, all-weather hypersonic missiles, reconnaissance and strike drones, unmanned ship-based helicopters, advanced electronic counter-measure equipment, cyberspace warfare equipment, long range artillery and new generation tanks, among others, it certainly didn't disappoint on that front.
But that was not all that impressed and left a lasting impression at the victory parade. Unlike some other countries, China's military might is not there to dominate other countries, not to bully, oppress, occupy or exploit, but solely to provide a secure basis, a great wall of iron and steel, for the Chinese people to live a peaceful and happy life and to help secure, preserve and defend world peace.
The early warning and command aircraft echelon flies over Tian'anmen Square during a military parade in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang)
In stark contrast to those who grotesquely tell other countries, “If you're not at the table, you'll probably be on the menu,” President Xi pledged his country to peaceful development during his victory parade speech. Only when nations across the world treat each other as equals and mutually support one another, he pointed out, can the root cause of war be eliminated, and can we prevent historical tragedies from recurring, by building a community with a shared future for humanity.
The lesson of the great victory, he pointed out, was that justice will prevail, peace will prevail and the people will prevail.
That this vision enjoys ever greater support was shown by the presence of more than two dozen heads of state and government, along with numerous other dignitaries, with the majority of them from the Global South. This underlined, as did the largest ever gathering of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization just two days previously in Tianjin, that the days when a handful of colonialist, imperialist or hegemonist powers could dominate world affairs have gone forever.
The Western media may express consternation, whether real or feigned, at the foregrounding of Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un among the honored foreign guests. They choose to overlook the undeniable fact that it was the peoples of China and the Soviet Union who made the greatest national sacrifice to rid the world of fascist barbarism and save human civilization. And they equally choose to overlook that Kim Jong Un's own grandfather fought shoulder-to-shoulder with his Chinese comrades-in-arms against the Japanese aggressors in northeast China. All this found poignant expression as the three leaders greeted war veterans together at the start of the ceremony.
Pigeons and balloons are released during a grand gathering to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Ma Ning)
Many other things touched me today. The culmination, featuring the release of 80,000 pigeons and 80,000 multi-colored balloons, reminded us that everything China does is for the sake of peace.
The pride, passion and patriotism with which servicemen and women, and civilians alike, joined in singing the national anthem and the Ode to the Motherland.
As you would expect for an event of this scale, organization was meticulous and logistics were complex but flawless. Security was, of course, necessarily tight. But unlike in any capitalist country, none of the security personnel carried arms. And whilst they were there to assist people as much as anything else, they were by far outnumbered by the kind, self-confident and enthusiastic young volunteers one encountered every few steps, on hand to offer whatever help anyone might need. Every one of them were a credit to socialist China and a guarantee of its bright future. Every one of them will realize their dreams thanks to the heroes and martyrs who laid down their lives 80 years ago.
KEITH BENNETT is a senior China specialist and co-editor of the Friends of Socialist of China, based in the U.K.
