China military parade live updates: Xi unveils new weapons as Putin, Kim Jong Un attend 'Victory Day' event

Chinese troops at the military parade. Pedro Pardo / AFP - Getty Images

With precise marching and a parade of innovative weaponry, China celebrated 80 years since Japan’s surrender in World War II with a huge display of military might in Beijing on Wednesday.

Dressed in a gray suit and standing through the sunroof of an official limousine, President Xi Jinping marked the commencement of the parade in Tiananmen Square, which drew crowds of decorated veterans and politicians from around the world.

Decorated veterans and other retired Chinese military officials gathered on the sidelines of the famous square as new military hardware was seen for the first time.

Missile boosters, rockets, lasers and drones of many different shapes and sizes were prominently displayed on the backs of flatbed military trucks, slowly passing an audience of thousands.

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A Chinese man staged a rare act of protest in Chongqing, southern China, by projecting anti-Communist slogans onto a skyscraper just days before Beijing’s military parade.

Giant messages, including “Only without the Communist Party can there be a new China” and “Down with red fascism, overthrow Communist tyranny,” lit up the side of building for nearly an hour before police intervened.

Clips of the protest, verified by Reuters, spread widely on X, with one post by another overseas dissident drawing more than 18 million views.

A 43-year-old Chongqing native named Qi Hong told the New York Times that he set up the projector in August before leaving China with his wife and daughters. Operating remotely from Britain, Qi said he also controlled a surveillance camera inside the hotel room that captured police entering.

Through the parade today, Xi sought to send a clear message to the world: China secured victory over Japan in the country at the end of WWII.

However, Xi’s views are not historically factual, and this official Chinese narrative reflects the Communist Party’s attempt at exerting control, an expert said.

When Imperial Japan invaded China in 1937, the CPC armed forces were rebels against the Kuomintang, then the ruling government of the Republic of China. The two sides joined forces to resist the Japanese invasion, though the KMT played a significantly larger role than the CPC in the war, with U.S. military assistance.

The KMT and CPC were “more fixated on fighting each other rather than the Japanese invaders,” said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

For the first time in over 60 years, the leaders of Russia, China and North Korea have come together for a military parade in Beijing.

The historic gathering today recalls a similar event in 1959, when North Korean founder Kim Il-sung, China’s founding father Mao Zedong, and the Soviet Union’s Premier Nikita Khrushchev attended China’s 10th anniversary in Tiananmen Square, the same location.

It signaled closer ties of the three countries critical of the U.S. and its allies. The event today also marked Kim’s debut on a multilateral diplomatic stage.

Putin said today that he was ready to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy if the Ukrainian president came to Moscow, while casting doubt on whether such talks would be useful.

Zelenskyy has pressed to meet Putin, a summit backed by Trump, to discuss the terms of a possible deal that could bring an end to the war. But a summit in the capital of a country that has invaded his and sought to kill him would be a nonstarter for Zelenskyy.

At the end of his trip to Beijing, Putin said he had “never ruled out” the possibility of a meeting. “But is there any point? Let’s see," he added.

The Russian leader said that such a meeting had to be well prepared in advance.

There is "no way" that North Korea would have been able to provide military support to Russia without China's approval, according to one analyst.

China’s "basically using North Korea as a proxy to help Russia militarily when they’re not allowed to do it," said Mathieu Boulegue, a researcher for Chatham House’s Russia program. "Otherwise they would have more sanctions."

Boulegue told NBC News China would be "really happy" that Russia was playing the disruptor, and "accelerating the downfall of the Western led order."

He called Russia "the unruly little brother," who does things that "the big brother would never even think of doing."

"Russia is a very, very useful unruly dog," he said.

Putin and his Chinese host were caught discussing organ transplants and the possibility that humans could live to 150 years old, as they walked side by side with North Korea’s Kim at today’s military parade.

The moment, picked up by a hot mic, was carried on a livestream provided by state broadcaster CCTV to other media.

“Biotechnology is continuously developing,” Putin’s translator said in Chinese as the trio walked toward the Tiananmen rostrum. After an inaudible passage, the translator says “human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and even achieve immortality.”

Xi, off camera, responded in Chinese, saying “some predict that in this century humans may live to 150 years old.”

Putin later said that he did in fact discuss with Xi that one day people would be able to live longer.

China’s radio and TV administration said CCTV’s coverage of the event was viewed 1.9 billion times online and by more than 400 million on TV.

The equipment unveiled at the parade is “at the forefront of global standards,” said Jin Canrong, vice dean of the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China in Beijing.

“You could say that we now have almost everything the United States has (except for stealth strategic bombers), and we also have things that the U.S. doesn’t,” he said in an analysis published in Guancha, a Chinese nationalist outlet.

It was a lavish parade celebrating peace, overseen by the leaders responsible for one of the world’s most intractable wars.

More than 50,000 people filled Tiananmen Square in the Chinese capital for the huge military parade showcasing the rapid evolution of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It marked the culmination of a week of high-level diplomacy and years of work by Chinese leader Xi Jinping to challenge America’s dominance on the global stage.

Leaders of Russia, North Korea, Iran Attend China's Military Parade

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Poking out of the sunroof of a moving limousine, Xi conducted a troop review at the start of the parade, which celebrated the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II.

China then unveiled dozens of its latest weapons, including nuclear-capable missiles that can be launched from the air, ground or sea, as well as lasers, undersea drones and a “highly intelligent” tank, before concluding the parade with the release of 80,000 doves and 80,000 balloons.

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Russia, North Korea and China each benefited from appearing at today’s parade, one analyst said, as the three leaders were seen together in public for the first time.

For Kim, it’s an opportunity to “signal his intention to send more troops to assist in Russia’s war” and “gain money from weapons sales,” said Edward Howell, a lecturer in international relations at the University of Oxford.

“Putin has very few friends now, and by being seen with China, the power in the world, this carries a lot of domestic legitimacy,” he told NBC News, saying that for Xi hosting this event “carries a lot of leverage with Trump.”

The three leaders, Howell said, were also intent on signaling a “united front that is in firm opposition to the U.S. alliances,” and "making clear that an alternative global order is possible."

“They want to try and court other countries, particularly smaller countries, developing countries, to join this order,” he added.

When Kim Jong Un stepped off his armored train and into the global spotlight in Beijing, he was flanked by a surprise guest.

Kim Ju Ae flanking her father.  KCNA via KNS / AFP via Getty Images

The teenage girl pictured by the North Korean leader’s side was his young daughter, making her international debut to attend the military parade in China.

Experts and close observers of the reclusive, nuclear-armed state see Kim Ju Ae’s appearance as the clearest signal yet that she may be in line to succeed her father at the head of the family’s dynastic rule.

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Leaders of Russia, North Korea, Iran attend China’s military parade

02:15

The leaders of Russia, North Korea, Iran and 23 other countries joined China's Xi Jinping at the military parade in a dramatic show of strength and unity.

Here's what it could mean for U.S. national security and its standing in the world.

China’s grand military parade today didn’t involve any foreign troops, unlike the last event of its kind.

In addition to the absence of major western leaders, the parade only featured Chinese troops, in contrast to the commemorative event in 2015 when formations and delegations from 17 countries were invited to attend for the first and only time in Chinese history.

The previous military parade in 2019 honoring the 70th anniversary of the founding of China didn’t involve foreign soldiers either.

In a surprise move, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has brought his daughter and possible heir apparent with him to attend the military parade in Beijing. NBC News’ Raf Sanchez takes a closer look at her background.

Kim Ju Ae: A rare look at North Korea's next likely leader

03:39

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te hinted that fascism looms large under Xi’s strongman rule after China’s military parade came to an end this morning.

Lai, whose self-governing island democracy is claimed by China, marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II by attending a memorial ceremony at the National Revolutionary Martyrs’ Shrine in Taipei.

“The people of Taiwan love peace, and Taiwan does not use guns to commemorate peace,” he said in a Chinese-language Facebook post.

Fascism has a “very broad” definition and is exemplified by extreme nationalism, repression of freedom of speech, and “obvious strongman leader worship,” Lai said, without naming China or Xi.

The president sent his warmest regards to the leaders of China, Russia, and North Korea. The pleasantries, though, came with a twist.

 Alexander Kazakov / Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Though the grand display of missiles and marching troops may have been capped by the release of 80,000 doves into the skies of the Chinese capital, the American president suggested he saw something altogether more sinister behind the spectacle.

Read the full story here.

They come with a guarantee that they can accomplish their mission anywhere, anytime, with precision.

The duo of nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles that made their debut at the parade are called the Dongfeng-class DF-61 and DF-5C. Their appearance came with the clear message to the U.S. that its military is catching up fast.

Not much was explained about the DF-61, but China said that the behemoth DF-5C is liquid-fueled and can strike any location on Earth.

DF-61 intercontinental ballistic missiles at the military parade today. Greg Baker / AFP via Getty Images

DF-5C intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles at the military parade today. Zhang Lei / VCG via Getty Images

"It maintains constant readiness and provides effective deterrence—using force to stop conflict and stabilize the world," state news agency Xinhua said.

The two missiles captured a lot of attention on Chinese social media. “I’m all teared up after seeing this! This means so much to us!” one user wrote. “DF Express, missions always accomplished,” wrote another user.

Xi lauded Japan’s defeat in World War II as a “turning point” for China as it moves toward “great rejuvenation,” thanking foreign leaders for their countries’ support and saying humanity must not return to the “law of the jungle.”

“This great victory was achieved through the joint struggle of the Chinese people together with the anti-fascist allies and the peoples of all countries,” Xi said at a reception after the military parade, echoing remarks he made earlier. “The Chinese government and the Chinese people will never forget the foreign governments and international friends who supported and helped the Chinese people in their resistance against aggression!”

Xi, who envisions China as the leader of a new global order in a challenge to U.S. dominance, said countries must work together to preserve peace.

“Humanity lives on the same planet; we should help each other and live in harmony, and must never return to the law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak,” he said.

The Russian leader has invited his North Korean counterpart to visit Russia as the pair, both global pariahs, wrapped up bilateral talks that lasted some two-and-a-half hours.

Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un hug after their meeting in Beijing today. Sergei Bobylev / AP

“We look forward to seeing you, come visit,” Putin told Kim as they concluded their meeting in Beijing following the Chinese military parade, according to video released by the Kremlin. 

Kim had earlier promised to do “everything I can to assist” Moscow as Putin thanked Pyongyang for sending troops to fight against Ukraine.

The leaders of Russia, China and North Korea are not “plotting any conspiracies,” a senior Kremlin official has said in response to Trump.

“I want to say that no one was plotting any conspiracies, no one was plotting anything, no conspiracies. Moreover, no one even had such a thought, not one of these three leaders,” Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told Russian state television.

He said he thought the U.S. president was being ironic with his criticism after Trump posted on Truth Social that Putin, Kim and Xi were conspiring against America.

“I can also say that everyone understands what role the United States, the current administration of President Trump, and President Trump personally play in the current international situation,” Ushakov added.

Russia launched a sweeping overnight air attack on Ukraine that injured at least four railway workers and damaged critical infrastructure, Ukrainian authorities said today.

The attacks came as Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a military parade in Beijing to mark the end of World War II, at which Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that the world faced a choice between peace and war.

The aftermath of a Russian airstrike on Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, today. STATE EMERGENCY SERVICE OF UKRAINE / via Reuters

Air raid alerts sounded for hours across Ukraine, with explosions heard in nine of its 24 regions, from Kyiv to Lviv and Volyn in the west, Ukrainian officials and media said.

Read the full story here.

Kim Jong Un shook hands with the speaker of South Korea’s parliament, South Korean media reported, in a rare moment of direct contact between North and South Korea.

The North Korean leader and parliament speaker Woo Won-shik shook hands before the start of the Beijing military parade, the Yonhap news agency reported, citing Woo’s office. Woo was representing U.S. ally South Korea, whose recently elected president, Lee Jae Myung, did not attend the parade.

North and South Korea technically remain at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice rather than a peace treaty, and Kim has dismissed recent diplomatic overtures from Lee and Trump, saying they must accept North Korea as a nuclear power.

While China is silent on how much its military parade cost, Taiwan says Beijing may have spent $5 billion on its show of strength today.

Shen Yu-chung, a deputy minister at the Beijing-claimed island’s Mainland Affairs Council, estimated on Monday that the Chinese government was spending more than 36 billion yuan ($5 billion), or about 1.5% of its official 2025 defense budget of 247 billion yuan.

Intercontinental nuclear missiles paraded in Beijing today. Sheng Jiapeng / China News Service via Getty Images

“We are curious why they spend so much money for the parade,” he said at an event in Taipei, adding that it came at the neglect of China’s internal economic challenges. “I wonder what the Chinese people think about it,” he said.

Beijing almost never discloses the costs of its military parades, and the Taiwan estimate could not be independently verified by NBC News. The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment, and China’s Taiwan Affairs Office could not immediately be reached for comment.

Putin thanked Kim for sending North Korean soldiers to fight alongside Russia in its war against Ukraine, saying they had fought “courageously” and “heroically.”

Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing today. Sergey Bobylev / Sputnik via AP

“At your initiative, as is well known, your special forces participated in the liberation of the Kursk region,” Putin told Kim at a bilateral meeting after the military parade, referring to a Russian region seized by Ukrainian forces last year. “Your soldiers fought courageously and heroically.”

“I would like to note that we will never forget the sacrifices that your armed forces and the families of your servicemen have suffered,” Putin added, according to Reuters. 

Kim told Putin that North Korea was willing to help Russia as much as possible, and that it was the duty of a “brother.”

Over 80 years ago, a group of U.S. military command members helped turn the tide of World War II against Japan, running combat and supply missions for China.

They were called the Flying Tigers, and some of their descendants were among the few Americans in attendance at the Beijing military parade, which marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the war.

Flying Tiger pilot and brigadier general in the U.S. Air Force Robert Lee Scott Jr. in Kunming, China, in 1943. Universal Images Group / Getty Images

Though the U.S. had no official representatives at the parade, special invitations were extended to “international friends who contributed to the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, or representatives of their surviving family members,” Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei was quoted as saying last week by Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency, using China’s name for World War II and the years preceding it.

The Flying Tigers, who were confirmed to have destroyed almost 300 Japanese planes in less than a year, were later incorporated into the U.S. Air Force. Despite frosty relations between Beijing and Washington, the contributions of the Flying Tigers are well remembered in several Chinese museums as well as in documentaries and films, including one called “Against All Odds” which hit Chinese theaters today.

Less than 1 in 5 Chinese view the United States as a friend to China, according to the results of a new survey on foreign policy issues released by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Carter Center. 

Larger majorities of the Chinese public view countries such as Russia and North Korea as friends of China, at 83% and 76% respectively. But more than 60% say they would like to see a dual-pronged approach to the U.S., undertaking “either friendly cooperation or limiting U.S. power when appropriate.”

Over 90% support China’s active participation in world affairs — a much higher proportion than in the United States, where just 56% of Americans said the U.S. should take an active role in global affairs in the 2024 Chicago Council Survey. Researchers said that finding suggested widespread public backing for Xi’s nationalist ambitions.

But Chinese survey respondents were split on what form that leadership should take, with 48% saying China should play a shared global leadership role and 41% saying it should take a dominant one.

Xi, Putin and Kim are unlikely to hold a trilateral meeting while they are in Beijing for the military parade, South Korean media reported, citing lawmakers who attended a closed-door briefing by South Korean intelligence.

Though Kim is likely to meet with Xi and Putin separately on the sidelines of the parade, South Korea’s National Intelligence Service says they are unlikely to all meet at the same time. Their joint appearance at the parade was the first time the three leaders had been seen in public together.

The agency said the likelihood of a trilateral meeting was low because “a simultaneous gathering of North Korea, China and Russia would generate adverse military and security repercussions in the international community,” opposition lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun told The Korea Herald.

Kim’s appearance at the parade with Xi and Putin, the three leaders’ first together in public, is a win for Kim as he advances his weapons programs and dismisses U.S. attempts to resume talks, an analyst said.

“Kim Jong Un has spoken of a ‘new Cold War’ and the need for solidarity against so-called U.S. imperialism; now he has highly symbolic photos to promote that narrative at home and abroad,” Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea, said in emailed comments.

“Kim can also claim a diplomatic victory as North Korea has gone from unanimously sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council for its illegal nuclear and missile programs to being embraced by UNSC permanent members Russia and China,” he added. 

Easley said it was unclear whether the three leaders would appear together again any time soon as they don’t often get a chance to meet.

The Chinese military parade has been criticized as stoking anti-Japanese sentiment, as wartime history between the two nations remains a sore subject.

The “Victory Day” parade marks the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, which China refers to as the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Millions of people died during Japan’s invasion and occupation of China from 1931 to 1945.

Experts said the Beijing parade lacked the spirit of reconciliation seen in other World War II commemorations.

“It’s unfortunate that China can’t celebrate itself and it has to celebrate the demise of Japan to gain political validation,” said Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

On the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the parade has dominated the top trending topics this morning, generating billions of views and setting off a wave of national pride.

Among the highlights, the DF-61 and DF-5C intercontinental ballistic missiles have captured the most attention, with domestic spectators particularly impressed by their global range and striking capabilities.

“I’m all teared up after seeing this! This means so much to us!” a user wrote. Another said: “I’m grateful that our country made us feel so secure!”

Some people also joked that how they were turning from “military enthusiasts” into “military laymen” after having watched the parade because China’s weaponry is evolving so quickly. One commented: “I don’t recognize most of the equipment shown today, but I like their speed of upgrading!!”

Kim arrived in his armored train at Beijing Railway Station on Tuesday afternoon after a roughly 20-hour journey from neighboring North Korea. 

The slow-moving train is his transport of choice on the rare occasions he leaves his internationally sanctioned, nuclear-armed state, including for his last overseas trip to Russia, in September 2023. It provides him with a safer and more comfortable space for a large entourage, security guards, food and amenities, as well as a place to discuss agendas ahead of meetings, experts told Reuters. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un departing Pyongyang by special train on Monday. STR / AFP - Getty Images

Beijing is only a short flight from Pyongyang, taking less than two hours. But there are safety concerns around Kim’s aging private jet — a remodeled version of the Soviet-made IL-62 that is one of the oldest planes still in service anywhere in the world. The last time Kim used it for an international trip was to the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian in 2018.

Kim’s trip to Beijing is his first visit to China since 2019 and the fifth visit in total since he inherited power upon his father’s death in late 2011. It is also his first multilateral diplomatic event.

Trump said he was “not concerned at all” about China and Russia’s possibly forming an axis against the United States.

“We have the strongest military in the world by far,” he said in an interview on “The Scott Jennings Radio Show” before the parade. “They would never use their military on us, believe me. That would be the worst thing they could ever do.”

Trump later asked on Truth Social during the parade whether Xi would also honor U.S. troops who died supporting China against Japanese occupation during World War II.

“May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration,” he wrote. “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.” 

Schools across China organized watch parties for today’s military parade as part of the country’s patriotic education aimed at upholding the leadership of the ruling Communist Party.

Students and teachers at many schools, including universities and colleges, gathered to watch state media’s live coverage of the parade, according to images that schools posted on social media. Some private companies and state-linked industry groups also said they were joining the trend.

China’s patriotic education is a decadeslong campaign to consolidate support for the ruling authorities. In 2023, Beijing passed legislation mandating that all schools shall have patriotic education permeate the entire course of education.

China showed off new weaponry at a lavish military parade attended by Putin and Kim. The United States had no official representatives at the parade, which Western leaders mostly stayed away from in part because of Putin’s attendance.

China puts on display of force with military parade

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One world leader who wasn’t at the military parade: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who made his first trip to China in seven years over the weekend but left before the festivities began.

Tensions between India and China, the world’s two most populous countries, have been high since a deadly border skirmish in 2020. But they have been moving to mend ties, an effort experts say may be accelerated after Trump alienated India by slapping it with 50% tariffs as punishment for buying Russian oil.

Vladimir Putin, Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping in Tianjin, China, on Monday. Suo Takekuma - Pool / Getty Images

Still, a number of issues stand in the way of India and China’s repairing their relationship, and India remains a key U.S. security partner in Asia, which may explain why Modi skipped the parade. He also went to China soon after having visited Japan, which reportedly urged other countries not to attend an event it said would stoke anti-Japanese sentiment.

Modi did, however, clasp hands with Xi and Putin and take a long ride in Putin’s car at a security forum in China this week, in what was seen as a pointed message to Trump.

Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing with his daughter, reinforcing speculation that she is being groomed as his heir apparent.

Photos released by the North Korean news agency KCNA show Kim’s daughter, Kim Ju Ae, arriving with her father on his armored train at Beijing Railway Station, where they were greeted by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and other senior officials. It is believed to be the first time that Kim, who rarely leaves North Korea, has taken his daughter on an international trip.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, are greeted by senior Chinese officials Cai Qi and Wang Yi at Beijing Railway Station on Tuesday.  KCNA via KNS / AFP via Getty Images

Little is known about Kim Ju Ae, who is believed to be about 12 or 13, but she is the only one of Kim’s children who has been seen in public, suggesting she may one day gain power in North Korea, which was previously ruled by Kim Jong Un’s father and grandfather. South Korea’s intelligence agency has said that Kim, who is believed to be 41, has three children, the eldest of whom is male.

He “may have decided to introduce her early on to the diplomatic stage and provide her with diplomatic lessons, which is why he brought her along on this visit to China,” said Cheong Seong-chang, vice president of the Sejong Institute, a think tank in Seoul, South Korea.

The parade format — including birds and balloons — followed the script of military parades in 2015 and 2019. The differences: higher-stakes guests and heavier control of foreign media. Authorities yelled at anyone trying to point a lens — even a phone — in Xi’s direction and took away the credentials of at least one photographer.

It’s clear that China is showing off its military equipment in the order in which it thinks future warfare is going to be conducted.

China showed off its “YJ”-class missiles, which are typically medium-range anti-ship ballistic missiles and can be launched from a number of platforms, including submarines. It also displayed various hypersonic missiles, including the new YJ-17.

Anti-ship missiles would pose a major threat to U.S. naval vessels in the event of military intervention in the Asia-Pacific, where China has been pressing its territorial claims on Taiwan and in the South China Sea.

The series has “enhanced the Navy’s long-range rapid strike capability, and serves as a ‘strategic hammer’ for safeguarding maritime rights and contesting sea control,” said Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency.

Greg Baker / AFP - Getty Images

Pedro Pardo / AFP - Getty Images

The area around Tiananmen Square is no longer a no-fly zone as fighter jets releasing colored smoke are followed by the release of 80,000 doves and 80,000 balloons, to the excitement of the crowd.

When the nuclear missiles and the Dongfeng series of ballistic missiles rolled out, the crowd broke into loud applause and cheers.

China has revealed its first model of a fourth-generation main battle tank, state media reported. 

The tank features an unmanned turret, advanced radar, a protection system and augmented reality technology, according to the state-run newspaper China Daily. 

The term refers to the loose alignment of four countries, China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, which are seen as together challenging the Western-led international order.

The leaders of all four countries are at the Beijing military parade, even as U.S. and other Western leaders have largely stayed away.

It’s not a formal name and doesn’t refer to an official bloc or alliance. It represents the four countries’ growing economic, military and technological cooperation. Foreign policy analysts coined it last year.

The military parade is the first time the leaders of Russia, China and North Korea have been seen together in public. This is also the first multilateral diplomatic event for Kim, who rarely leaves North Korea.

Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un on Wednesday. Sergey Bobylev / AFP - Getty Images

A squadron of China’s J-20 stealth fighters took to the skies as Xi touted his country’s military prowess, especially that of its air force. China also showed off its older and more combat-focused J-10, which Pakistan used against India during the two nuclear powers’ four-day conflict in May.

State media broadcasts also showed several cargo and bomber aircraft taking off. The national flag and the flag of the Chinese military, the People’s Liberation Army, were suspended from a Z-20 utility helicopter flanked on both sides by two Z-10 attack helicopters, according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news agency.

With official protocols done and Xi back on the balcony, it’s time for the military show.

An aerial flag-escort formation flew over Tiananmen Square carrying the flag of the Communist Party of China, the national flag of the People’s Republic of China and the military flag of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army.

Soldiers marching in Tiananmen Square. Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

Twenty-six helicopters flying over the square also formed the number “80” in a nod to the anniversary of the end of World War II.

Three helicopters carried banners reading “Justice Will Prevail,” “Peace Will Prevail” and “The People Will Prevail.”

China and Russia are flaunting their friendship just weeks after Trump met with Putin in Alaska to discuss how to end the war in Ukraine. No ceasefire or peace agreement was announced after the meeting, and since then peace efforts have stalled even as Russian strikes continue to batter Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.

“I’m very disappointed in President Putin, I can say that. And we’ll be doing something to help people live,” Trump, who has threatened to impose further sanctions on Russia, said in an interview with “The Scott Jennings Radio Show.”

Xi and Putin, who have met more than 40 times in the past decade, met again in Beijing the day before the parade. Putin called his host a “dear friend” and said relations between their nations had “reached their highest level in history.” 

China has strived to appear neutral in the Ukraine war but has provided Russia with a diplomatic and economic lifeline. U.S. and other Western leaders have mostly stayed away from the military parade in part because of the presence of Putin, who faces an outstanding arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over allegations of war crimes in Ukraine.

The military muscle on parade in Beijing, including hypersonic missiles, new fighter jets and next-generation tanks, will be closely studied by security experts, but there will be a lot of other people watching, too.

Xi’s anti-corruption drive has resulted in more than a dozen top officials and officers within the People’s Liberation Army being fired or removed from public view in the past two years.

Xi has ambitions to overhaul China’s military to someday match the might of the United States. His overall goal, according to observers, is to show combat readiness to take control of Taiwan, a self-governing island democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. The purges could signal Xi’s dissatisfaction with that progress despite the “show of force” today.

As Xi’s motorcade returned toward Tiananmen, the troops in formation shouted in unison: “Follow the party’s command! Fight to win! Maintain excellent conduct!” and “Justice will prevail! Peace will prevail! The people will prevail!”

There are also three cars around Xi’s with cameramen. Many of them. The cars drive at precisely the same speed.

President Donald Trump has posted on his Truth Social platform about the parade.

"The big question to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the massive amount of support and “blood” that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader," he said.

"Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice!" Trump continued.

"May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America."

Xi is in a Hongqi (Red Flag) limousine poking out of the sunroof. He appears to be standing, but there is apparently a seat for him. You can see the bank of microphones in front of him. He shouts “Tongzhimen hao,” or “Greetings, comrades,” and troops chant in response.

“Comrades, you are working hard,” Xi says.

Xi Jinping during the military in Beijing, on Wednesday. Qilai Shen / Bloomberg via Getty Images

“We serve the people,” the troops respond.

The parade commander reported that the troops were in position, and Xi gave the order to begin the review.

Some of the newer Chinese military weapons expected to be showcased today: hypersonic missiles, underwater drones, “Loyal Wingmen” autonomous drones, next-generation tanks and advanced fighter jets.

Military vehicles and rocket launchers are lined up along Chang An Avenue, and Xi is leaving in a car to inspect the troops.

Xi welcomed the “distinguished guests from various countries” attending the parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, and expressed “heartfelt thanks to the foreign governments and international friends who supported and helped the Chinese people in their resistance against aggression.”

For China, World War II began in 1931 with an invasion and occupation by Japan that lasted 14 years, resulting in an estimated 20 million to 35 million military and civilian deaths. Today’s parade is designed partly to highlight China’s contributions toward defeating the Axis powers in the war, which China refers to as the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping on a screen in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Greg Baker / AFP - Getty Images

“The Chinese People’s War of Resistance was an important part of the World Anti-Fascist War,” Xi said. “Through immense national sacrifice, the Chinese people made a major contribution to saving human civilization and safeguarding world peace.”

“History warns us that the destiny of humankind is closely intertwined,” he continued. “Only by treating each other as equals, living in harmony, and helping one another can nations and peoples maintain common security, eliminate the root causes of war, and prevent the tragedy of history from repeating itself!”

There have been no images yet on the big screen of Putin and Kim on the balcony. From my vantage point, it appears they are flanking Xi with about a foot between them. But we can’t take pictures, so my assessment isn’t exactly scientific. 

Xi is singing along to the Chinese national anthem, “March of the Volunteers,” during a flag-raising ceremony, CCTV News shows.

Premier Li Qiang is speaking now to open the parade. Cannons are firing as soldiers march down a massive red carpet on the steps of the mausoleum for Mao Zedong, founder of the People’s Republic of China.

Every step is precise, as soldiers have rehearsed for weeks. Xi is observing from the balcony, where he is wearing a dark gray “Mao suit.”

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has made it to the parade after having canceled his trip earlier because of deadly protests over rising inequality that have roiled his Southeast Asian nation.

China had said Monday that it understood Prabowo’s decision to cancel the trip. Rights groups say at least six people are dead and over 20 are missing after protests over issues such as the cost of living were further inflamed by the death of a delivery driver who was run over by a police vehicle at a protest in Jakarta.

The protests, which spread to other cities beyond the capital, have turned violent as demonstrators clashed with the police and attacked their headquarters and targeted some lawmakers’ homes.

In a concession, Prabowo said he would slash lawmakers’ perks, such as a $3,000 monthly housing allowance, but protests have continued.

To be clear, the tens of thousands of people in Tiananmen Square and along the parade route are not random observers. They have been invited, accredited, involved or hand-picked to attend. For Beijing residents, the only way to see the parade is on state-run television or online, with the CCTV News app showing more than 9.7 million people watching.

A joint choir of more than 3,000 students from 40 universities in Beijing is now singing “Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China.” Attendees are singing along as they wave Chinese flags.

There was surprise last week when it was announced that Kim Jong Un would attend the military parade in a rare departure from his isolated, nuclear-armed state.

North Korea’s relations with China, its neighbor and biggest trading partner, have soured over Kim’s support for Putin’s war in Ukraine, which has included sending artillery and troops. Experts say Pyongyang may now be looking to mend ties with Beijing in preparation for the possible end of the war.

“Although cooperation with Russia will continue, the ‘special’ leverage it has enjoyed would disappear, making restoration of ties with China timely,” said Cheong Seong-chang, vice president of the Sejong Institute, a think tank in Seoul, South Korea.

This is Kim’s first trip to China since 2019 and his first overseas trip since he visited Russia in September 2023. It is also his first time attending a multilateral event rather than visiting leaders one on one.

Tiananmen Square has fallen silent as more than 50,000 people take their seats, waiting for the ceremony to begin.

On two giant screens facing Tiananmen Tower, a bold red backdrop carries a solemn message: “Salute to all countries and peoples who contributed to the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War,” which is how China refers to World War II.

More than 50,000 people are in Tiananmen Square for the parade. Dawn Liu / NBC News

Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

Military veterans are a central part of today’s parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II.

Media are being told we cannot film in the direction of the balcony where Xi, Putin, Kim and other dignitaries will be watching the parade. Meaning: no images of them together that have not been taken and distributed by state-controlled media.

Xi, Putin and Kim are walking up to the rostrum together, conversing with the help of interpreters. This is the first time the three leaders have been seen in public together.

They are also shaking hands with elderly soldiers who fought in World War II.

Chinese President Xi Jinping with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Pedro Pardo / AFP - Getty Images

The temperature is climbing here as dignitaries arrive, including elderly military veterans in their olive green uniforms.

Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, on a television screen. Janis Frayer / NBC News

Meanwhile, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, are greeting world leaders on a red carpet that is not located in the square. Crowds here see the arrivals on a huge television screen (where the sky appears less hazy than our vantage point).

While the focus is on Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, dozens of other foreign leaders are also attending the parade in Beijing.

They include leaders of countries in the wider Putin orbit, including those of Central Asian countries as well as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Both leaders were already in China to attend a summit of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organization earlier this week.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and Vietnamese President Luong Cuong are also at the parade. U.S. and other Western leaders are largely skipping the event, with only two European leaders — Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico — in attendance.

State broadcaster CGTN is showing foreign dignitaries arriving at the parade on a red carpet through a large gate known as the Gate of Uprightness, flanked by soldiers holding upright bayonet-fitted rifles.

A hair salon in Beijing has been offering patriotic and military-themed haircuts and styles to children in the weeks leading up to China’s military parade to date to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

At the start of this month, hairdresser Wang Xueru found children visiting her shop began requesting designs of the national flag or tanks in their undercuts, a close shave around the head on which barbers can carve out specific designs.

Beijing hair salon owner Wang Xueru gives a child a haircut in the shape of a tank on Thursday.  Tingshu Wang / Reuters

As more of such requests came, the 34-year-old decided she could turn the special requests into a complimentary service in conjunction with the military parade to be staged in the heart of the capital next week. She still charges for the haircuts, however.

“I thought, well how about offering these hair carving activities free of charge? As long as the little one is willing, we can carve it for free,” she said.

Read the full story here.

Thousands of troops will march through Beijing’s Tiananmen Square at a highly choreographed military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II.

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images

Kevin Frayer / Getty Images

Lintao Zhang / Getty Images

Around 7:30 local time (7:30 p.m. ET), buses carrying foreign dignitaries arrived at Tiananmen Square.

Heads of government and state from 26 countries will be at the parade, though U.S. and other Western leaders are mostly staying away in part because of differences with Putin over his war against Ukraine.

Roughly two hours to parade time and here’s what we see and hear in Tiananmen Square: marching bands rehearsing, soldiers practicing marches, volunteers in matching track suits directing invited guests to where they will watch the parade, and special security details in dark suits and ties in position along the route. 

Thousands of soldiers will march through Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Dawn Liu / NBC News

We are in a fixed spot (determined by lottery this morning) on carpeted risers among media on the north side of Tiananmen Square, with the Forbidden City and the iconic portrait of Mao Zedong just behind us. Around us there are journalists from Mongolia, Cambodia, Tunisia, Britain, Egypt and, naturally, Russia.

It was an early start to the day for journalists covering the 9 a.m. parade, who were instructed to gather in the middle of the night.

Journalists have to go through two security checks: one for people and one for items. Dawn Liu / NBC News

Designated buses for journalists to enter Tiananmen Square. Dawn Liu / NBC News

Journalists entering Tiananmen Square had to go through two security checks: one for people (face scanning to determine their identities) and a second check for items. Then we were taken to our designated buses.

There are unprecedented security restrictions for the parade, one of China’s biggest ever. Schools are closed, traffic has been rerouted, and the area around the route along Chang An Avenue through Tiananmen Square is in complete lockdown. Residents can’t leave home or even look out their windows.

That includes our NBC News office, which underwent rounds of security inspections by different levels of Chinese authorities. We were forced to vacate the day before the event, as police closed curtains and blinds, checked closets and faucets and sealed the doors to ensure we did not return until after the parade.

NBC News' Beijing office, which is near the parade route, underwent rounds of security inspections by different levels of Chinese authorities. Janis Mackey Frayer / NBC News

For journalists attending the parade, there is another list of what government organizers describe as “warm tips” to heed, including a warning about taking paper or other materials that could be used as “propaganda.” The precautions also curiously extend to cosmetics, with television reporters told that “only lipstick and eyebrow pencils” are permitted.

China’s military is getting stronger, and it wants the world to know it.

The world’s largest active military, with more than 2 million personnel, is holding one of its biggest parades ever Wednesday, a highly choreographed “Victory Day” spectacle to mark the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II.

The grand occasion in Beijing will showcase not just China’s growing ability to rival the United States in any future conflict, but also support from some of the world’s most heavily sanctioned nations in a display of unity against the West.

Thousands of troops will march through Tiananmen Square, where they will be reviewed by Chinese President Xi Jinping as heads of government and state from 26 other countries look on.

Read the full story here.

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