China is set to stage a massive military parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on September 3, 2025, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The event will showcase China’s growing military might and technological advancements, featuring hundreds of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers, as well as ground forces with the latest military equipment.
According to Chinese military officials, the parade will include “joint armament formations… organised in a manner reflecting their functions in real combat,” and will feature air, land, and sea combat groups.
The military parade will highlight new fourth-generation equipment, including advanced tanks, carrier-based aircraft, and fighter jets, demonstrating China’s system-based combat capability.
The “Victory Day” parade, involving 45 contingents of troops, will take approximately 70 minutes to file past President Xi Jinping in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
Xi will be accompanied by invited foreign leaders and dignitaries, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also attended the last anniversary parade in 2015.
The event will showcase domestically produced active-duty main battle equipment, highlighting China’s rapid technological advancement and independent innovation in defense.
Foreign military attaches and security analysts expect China to display new weaponry and equipment, including military trucks fitted with devices to take out drones, new tanks, and early warning aircraft to protect China’s aircraft carriers.
The United States and its allies will closely watch the display of military might, particularly China’s expanding arsenal of missiles, including antiship missile systems and weapons with hypersonic capabilities.
The parade serves as a demonstration of China’s military strength, with President Xi Jinping inspecting the troops.
Wu Zeke, deputy director of the military parade, stated that the event will “fully demonstrate our military’s robust ability to adapt to technological advancements, evolving warfare patterns, and win future wars”.
This display of military might comes amid delicate geopolitical tensions, with the international community closely monitoring China’s military advancements.