China Celebrates 80 Years Since World War II with Global Show of Support
HONG KONG — Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted leaders from 26 nations and various foreign representatives in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The event featured a military parade, showcasing China’s military strength and aiming to express solidarity among countries aligned with Beijing.
Notable figures at the parade included Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who attended this rare international event. Their presence, alongside Xi, symbolized a united front against the United States, according to observers.
The absence of leaders from the U.S., Western Europe, Japan, and India highlighted the growing divide in international relations. While South Korea and Singapore opted for lower-level participation, the guest list illustrated China’s expanding influence in the Global South and among emerging markets.
A Diverse Guest List
Among Xi’s guests were several leaders considered adversaries of the U.S., including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was seen mingling with Kim after taking group photos. Observers noted that their collective appearance posed a challenge to the existing U.S-led global order.
Asia accounted for a significant portion of attendees, with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto making a last-minute decision to join other Southeast Asian leaders, including Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni and Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong. Myanmar’s military leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith also participated.
Adding to the array of attendees were leaders from South Asia, such as Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu, alongside several Central Asian presidents like Kazakhstan’s Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Notably, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel was the only representative from the Americas at the parade.
Limited European Representation
Beyond Putin and Lukashenko, few European leaders participated, with Serbia sending President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovakia sending Prime Minister Robert Fico. Some former leaders from New Zealand and Australia also attended, but overall European turnout was minimal.
While the event signified China’s ambitions and relationships with several nations, it also reflected a clear divide among countries, emphasizing a shifting global landscape where we see increasing alignment against traditional Western power structures.
