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Troops march in Beijing’s grand 2025 parade. |
China holds what officials call its largest-ever military parade in Beijing, marking 80 years since World War II’s end. The event took place on September 3, 2025, in front of Tiananmen Gate. It drew dozens of visiting leaders and a wide display of new weapons.
President Xi Jinping inspected troops and equipment from the reviewing stand. He told the crowd that humanity faces a choice between peace and war, and urged nations to avoid confrontation. Those remarks were delivered as part of the official ceremony.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were among the guests of honour. Officials said more than two dozen heads of state or government attended, alongside representatives from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Western powers sent few high-level guests.
The parade lasted about 70 minutes. It included marching formations, a mobile column of vehicles, and an aerial flypast. Organizers showed a range of ground systems, naval models and aircraft. The programme combined traditional parade units with newer autonomous and high-tech systems.
Multiple outlets reported that the display included hypersonic missiles, large unmanned underwater vehicles, and new classes of tanks and drones. Some systems were shown publicly for the first time. Journalists on site photographed armoured columns and aircraft taking part in the flypast.
State television and international news agencies carried the event live. Footage showed rows of troops in formation on Chang’an Avenue, followed by vehicles rolling past the reviewing stand. Massed bands played and the national flag flew over Tiananmen Square.
Security was tight across central Beijing. Roads near the square were closed, and authorities restricted movement in sections of the city. Local transit services and access to some public areas were limited during rehearsals and on parade day.
Officials described the event as a commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II, and as a tribute to those who fought in that conflict. The ceremony included veterans and memorial elements alongside the military display.
Beijing arranged meetings and bilateral talks around the visit. Reports said Putin and Kim held talks with Xi, and that various delegations met Chinese leaders on the sidelines. State media published images of leaders together in the reviewing area.
A Reuters live report noted that the parade emphasised newer categories of hardware, such as systems intended for undersea and counter-drone roles, in addition to strategic missiles and aircraft. Military attaches and analysts who observed rehearsals flagged these new entries for close attention.
Photographs from the scene showed large unmanned underwater vehicles being moved into position in Beijing, and aircraft performing precise flypast sequences. The Associated Press compiled a visual list of units and systems on display.
The guest list ran across regions. Attending leaders included representatives from Southeast Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and parts of Europe. Official lists named heads of state and government from more than 25 countries. Media outlets published the list of attendees.
China’s state broadcaster ran expert segments explaining some of the new systems to domestic viewers. Those segments described advances in sensors, automated systems and missile technology. State commentary framed the parade as part of a longer-term military modernization effort.
On the day, authorities also staged events to mark the historic anniversary. Memorial ceremonies and veteran welcome events took place alongside the military display. Local officials said the aim was both remembrance and national unity.
The scale of the show invited broad international coverage. Reporters from major global outlets were on site or showed live feeds. Media coverage mixed descriptive reporting of the hardware with lists of attendees and footage of the parade.
Several news services published photo galleries and timed reels showing the march past, the mobile column and flypast. Social media users posted images and video clips from multiple angles as the parade moved down Chang’an Avenue.
China’s defence ministry and official channels released technical captions for some equipment. They provided model names, role descriptions and short technical details for selected systems. That material accompanied state photography and background notes.
Local officials set up viewing areas for invited spectators and veterans. The government said tickets and access were tightly controlled. International delegations were hosted at official receptions and events tied to the parade.
Major elements of the parade sequence were standard: inspection, keynote remarks, marching columns, the mobile column and an air flypast. Newer features included visible robotic units and autonomous systems placed within formations. Photographers captured robotic systems moving with tracked vehicles.
Reports from the scene also noted logistical operations. Large cranes and transporters had moved heavy unmanned vehicles into the staging area days earlier. News photos show the scale of the logistics needed to stage the mobile column and flypast.
State and international media documented the posture of the leaders on the reviewing stand. Video showed Xi standing with visiting leaders during the inspection. The image of Xi, Putin and Kim together was widely circulated in global news feeds.
China labelled the parade an act of commemoration, while state reports framed it as a demonstration of defence capability. Organizers gave a formal schedule and technical notes to accredited media prior to the event.
The parade’s timing and guests were confirmed in official schedules released in the days before the event. That material included lists of foreign delegations invited to Beijing for the anniversary. Media outlets published those lists ahead of the parade.
Public streaming and on-the-ground reporting continued after the parade. Press agencies filed photos, video and dispatches that documented both the ceremony and the equipment shown. Many outlets provided searchable galleries and fact boxes explaining what viewers saw.
This report is based on coverage from international news agencies and on-site reporting by accredited media. It draws on live reporting, official statements and photographic evidence published by Reuters, The Associated Press, The Guardian and other outlets covering the event.
China held its largest ever military parade in history. pic.twitter.com/XgcgSv4Siu
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) September 3, 2025
Chinese female soldiers march in parade. pic.twitter.com/coGtoY4MDd
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) September 3, 2025
Hot-mic moment between Xi Jinping and Putin about immortality:
— Globe Eye News (@GlobeEyeNews) September 3, 2025
President Xi: People rarely lived past 70 before. Now at 70 you’re still a child.
President Putin: With biotech, organs can be replaced endlessly… people could even reach immortality.
President Xi: Some predict… pic.twitter.com/N992bWPtXP