Chinese leader Xi Jinping's massive military parade in Tiananmen Square marking the end of World War II, and attended by world leaders, mostly notably so-called 'pariahs' Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, hasn't disappointed - and even elicited a quick response from President Trump.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping declared that China's rise is "unstoppable" and showcased over 10,000 troops marching in perfect synchronicity - and a notable lack of 'diversity' so elevated in the West - along with hundreds of advanced weapons. Most notably, Xi also for the first time showcased the PLA military's land, sea, and air-based nuclear force - a complete and deadly triad.
The whole thing was also an opportunity to prove to the world that the process of modernizing the world's largest standing army is well underway and that there are growing ties - or a "special relationship" even - between China and other major nuclear armed powers Russia and North Korea.
Xi's opening speech featured the words, "Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games."
Wednesday's events presented the unprecedented spectacle of three leaders Western mainstream press has dubbed the "axis of upheaval" overlooking these nuclear toys as they drive past...
The DF-5C ICBM comes in 3 parts on 3 vehicles, carries up to 12 nuclear warheads, and has a range of 13,000–20,000 km, enough to reach any global target.
Concerning Trump and US-China relations, the timing of all of this is very significant, given the White House recently indicated that President Trump might be in the region by late October and is open to meeting with Xi.
Among major issues remains the hoped-for long-anticipated deal on tariffs, the potential sale of TikTok in the US, as well as the question of Beijing's influence Putin related to the future of the Ukraine war, especially the question of a ceasefire or broader resolution in Ukraine.
Below: An unexpected conversation among the three...
In an extremely rare hot mic moment at the China parade, Xi and Putin discussed how organ transplants(!) and other advances may allow people to live to 150 this century.
"Peace through strength" appears to be Xi's message in this parade, to use what's actually a longtime phrase used by American leaders.
As for Kim, he's obviously gone much deeper in Russia's corner in Ukraine, even having sent over 10,000 North Korean troops as par of the war effort - an estimated 2,000 of which have come back home in coffins - signifying a deepening Moscow-Pyongyang alliance which Xi has not joined on such a level, and likely wants no part of.