In a display as symbolic as it was strategic, Chinese President Xi Jinping today unveiled a suite of next-generation weaponry, laser-based systems, nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, and massive underwater drones at a colossal military parade marking the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War Two. Yet, beyond the military might, the real headline may be the public solidarity shown among three of the world’s most controversial leaders: Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un.
This is the first time all three men have appeared publicly together, and their presence on the same platform sends a signal that echoes far beyond Tiananmen Square. While the overt message may have been one of historical remembrance and national pride, the subtext was unmistakably geopolitical: a tightening strategic triangle that could reshape global alliances.
The Parade: A Showcase of Power and Intention
China’s military parade today wasn’t merely for domestic consumption alone. With satellites recording every detail and global media analyzing every move, the message was clear: the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has arrived in the future. The unveiling of laser-based weapons and giant underwater drones suggests a leap toward asymmetric technologies which are the tools of modern warfare that challenge traditional naval and missile doctrines. The reintroduction of nuclear ballistic missile platforms further underscores Beijing’s intent to remain a central player in the nuclear deterrence equation, particularly amid rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
Kim Jong Un: From Pariah to Parade Partner
What was perhaps most striking and diplomatically charged was the prominence afforded to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Once relegated to isolation and treated as a geopolitical outlier, Kim stood shoulder-to-shoulder with two of the world’s most powerful authoritarian leaders. His presence alone was symbolic, but his remarks to Putin on the sidelines were incendiary.
Kim reportedly told Putin that it was North Korea’s “fraternal duty” to support Russia, referring directly to Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Pyongyang has already sent weapons and unconfirmed reports suggest military advisors and troops to assist Russian operations. What once might have been dismissed as political posturing now seems dangerously close to a de facto alliance.
A New Axis of Autocracy?
While many in the West will view this meeting as performative, it would be dangerously naïve to ignore the deeper implications. A Beijing-Moscow-Pyongyang nexus offers mutual benefits: China seeks to counter U.S. influence in the Indo-Pacific; Russia needs material and diplomatic support for its war effort; and North Korea craves legitimacy, recognition, and resources.
This alignment isn’t a traditional alliance in the NATO sense, but rather a convergence of strategic interests among revisionist powers. It is bonded not by ideology but by shared grievances against what they perceive as Western hegemony and interference.
The World Is Watching And Recalibrating
For Seoul, Tokyo, Washington, and NATO capitals, this public unity among Xi, Putin, and Kim is more than just a photo as it is a clear message that the post-Cold War world order is eroding. As Beijing flaunts its technological might, Russia presses its advantage in Ukraine, and North Korea normalizes its role in the strategic calculus, the need for coherent, multilateral responses grows ever more urgent.
Today’s parade, therefore, was not just a commemoration of past victories. It was a calculated demonstration of future ambitions and a signal that the world’s autocrats are increasingly willing to stand together, in public and in purpose.
Hamna Ghias Sheikh
Hamna Ghias Sheikh is a research associate at the Maritime Center of Excellence, Pakistan Navy War College She can be reached at hamna.sheikh009@gmail.com.
