Cold Front

The military parade in Beijing was meant to commemorate an old victory, but it became something far more consequential: a carefully staged display of political power, designed to re-order perceptions of who leads the world’s shifting alliances. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s decision to place Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at his side was not an accident of protocol.

It was deliberate theatre. In one gesture, Mr Xi transformed what could have been a routine anniversary into a tableau of defiance against a US-dominated order. The seating arrangement and the optics spoke louder than the rumbling tanks or the missiles rolling through Tiananmen Square. The historical echoes were unmistakable. Decades ago, Mao Zedong stood on the same balcony flanked by Soviet and North Korean leaders, presenting an image of communist solidarity. Back then, China was weaker, dependent on others for recognition and support. Today, the positions are reversed. North Korea is still nuclear-armed but impoverished, its survival is tied to Beijing’s backing.

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Russia, bogged down in war and global sanctions, needs China’s validation. Mr Xi is no longer a junior partner; he is the axis around which these uneasy allies revolve. The weapons on display underscored this point. Hypersonic missiles, advanced drones, and nuclear-capable systems signalled that China is narrowing the gap with Western military capabilities. The show was not just for Washington, but also for Moscow and Pyongyang. Mr Putin and Mr Kim were reminded, as much as the rest of the world, that the true source of strength in this alliance now resides in Beijing. Yet, the message was also domestic. China is facing profound economic and social challenges: a real estate crisis, an ageing population, and growing anxiety among its youth.

In such times, orchestrated nationalism serves as a unifying balm. The parade was meant to assure citizens that despite these strains, China remains on an upward trajectory, destined for “great rejuvenation.” Still, one cannot ignore the risks behind the spectacle. The promise of reclaiming Taiwan by 2035, heard increasingly in nationalist rhetoric, places China on a collision course with the United States and its allies. Military parades cannot mask the costs of escalation, and symbols of strength may harden positions rather than encourage dialogue.

The world is now confronted with an image of three leaders – one isolated by sanctions, another clinging to nuclear deterrence, and one determined to reshape the global order. Of the three, Mr Xi alone appears confident, even triumphant. But beneath the spectacle lies a question that cannot be paraded away: can China balance its ambition to rival the West with the domestic stability its citizens demand? The Beijing parade was not just a rehearsal of history. It was a declaration of intent. The era of quiet rise is over; Mr Xi has stepped forward to claim the mantle of global challenger.