China marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II in Asia last week with a display of its emerging military strength and growing diplomatic clout. At the Victory Day military parade through Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, Xi Jinping was flanked by his guests of honor, Vladimir Putin of Russia and Kim Jong Un of North Korea, along with dozens of other world leaders.
A number of commentators framed the parade as an expression of Beijing’s intentions to position itself not just as a major power, but as the new leader of the global order. Others saw the parade in a more nefarious light. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called the gathering of Xi, Putin and Kim a “direct challenge to the international system built on rules” due to the support that China, North Korea and Iran—whose president also attended the parade—have all provided Russia in its war against Ukraine. North Korea has sent troops and ammunition, while Iran has supplied Russia with drones. China provides essentially everything else, keeping Russia economically afloat through their “no limits” friendship.
By contrast, U.S. President Donald Trump, perhaps now feeling scorned by Putin after literally rolling out the red carpet for him at their bilateral summit in Alaska earlier this month, struck a sarcastic tone on social media, telling Xi to “give my warmest regards to Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against America.” Trump also couldn’t keep himself from again seeking to litigate who contributed more to the Allied victory in World War II. Back in May, when Russia held its annual Victory in Europe parade, Trump asserted that it was the United States, not the Soviet Union, that did the most to defeat Nazi Germany. This time he pointed out that it was the United States, not China, that did the most to defeat Japan.
