Overview

• China presented a full set of land-, sea- and air-delivered nuclear systems, pairing the debut of the DF-61 intercontinental missile with the first public display of the air-launched JL-1.
• The display followed earlier rollouts of DF-41 and JL-3 systems, marking what coverage described as a visible completion of the nuclear triad.
• Chinese military messaging cast the showcased weapons as a strategic means to safeguard national sovereignty and dignity.
• The parade featured advanced capabilities beyond nuclear arms, including laser weapons, hypersonic missiles, fifth-generation fighters and an extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicle that reporting said could potentially threaten undersea cables and pipelines.
• Xi Jinping inspected the event, with foreign leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un present, as U.S. Defense assessments cited continued ICBM development and an estimated stockpile of more than 600 warheads as of mid‑2024.