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Like something straight out of the dramatic beginning of a James Bond movie, the leaders of China, Russia and North Korea walked side by side Tuesday at the start of a massive military parade in Beijing, a show of unity aimed squarely at the West.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un strolled together down a red carpet, waving to dignitaries before taking their seats in Tiananmen Square. Broadcast live across China, the scene was designed to leave no doubt: the three powers, often cast as Washington’s top rivals, wanted the world to see them arm in arm.
“Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America.” -US President Donald J. Trump
The parade marked the anniversary of the end of World War II, but the message was more about the future than the past. Xi reviewed his troops from a convertible car as columns of soldiers, tanks and missiles rolled by.
“The rebirth of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, and the noble cause of peace and development of mankind will surely triumph,” Xi declared. But he also warned the world was once again at a crossroads between “peace or war, dialogue or conflict.”
The show of force included some of China’s newest high-tech weapons, with analysts telling CNN many appeared more advanced than those fielded by Western militaries.
While Xi avoided naming the United States directly, the backdrop was hard to miss. Washington and Beijing remain locked in disputes over trade, Taiwan and influence in Asia. Hosting both Putin and Kim, despite U.S. pressure, underscored China’s growing clout, analysts said.
“Xi Jinping is showing the rest of the world that Kim Jong Un is coming to meet him while he has reservations about meeting again with President Trump,” said Lam Peng Er, a researcher at the National University of Singapore.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump wasted no time firing back, accusing Xi of “conspiring” with Putin and Kim. In a sarcastic post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America.”
Still, Trump insisted he was “not at all worried” about the trio, pointing to America’s military might. “It would be the worst thing they could ever do,” he said.
For now, the parade was just that: pageantry. But the image of three of the West’s most formidable adversaries walking shoulder to shoulder may linger long after the fireworks fade.
*With information from AP News and CNN
