Overview

• China showcased hypersonic systems, intercontinental missiles, advanced air defenses, and unmanned and cyber forces as thousands of troops and military vehicles paraded through central Beijing.
• Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un stood alongside Xi on the Tiananmen observation platform as part of a delegation of roughly 26 foreign leaders that included figures from Iran, Cuba and Southeast Asia.
• Xi framed the event as a choice between peace or confrontation and declared China’s national revitalization “unstoppable,” following an 80‑gun salute and a review of the People’s Liberation Army.
• Access to Tiananmen Square was tightly controlled with heavy security and invitation-only attendance, with most viewers directed to watch the broadcast.
• Western pushback followed quickly, with President Donald Trump criticizing the gathering on Truth Social and U.S. Treasury official Scott Bessent previously calling the summit theatrical, while analysts cited South Korean intelligence reports alleging North Korean personnel have supported Russia in Ukraine.