US President Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping over hosting Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in China at the military parade.
In a sarcastic jab at Jinping, the US President asked him to convey his “warm regards” to both Russian and North Korean leaders, while also accusing him of a plot to “conspire against The United States of America”.
Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un are among the invited guests at the military parade in Beijing, organised to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Kim Jong Un, who rarely leaves secretive North Korea, was seen shaking hands with Xi Jinping, visuals from the parade showed. The Chinese premier, who recently hosted Putin at the SCO Summit in Tianjin, was seen greeting his Russian counterpart again at the parade.
The three leaders were seen walking down the red carpet towards Tiananmen Square, with Putin to Xi’s right and Kim to his left.
As Trump slammed Jinping, he said the US gave support and “blood” to China so it could secure freedom from a “very unfriendly foreign invader”.
“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! May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration,” Trump wrote on Truth Social this morning.
China endured a devastating war against imperial Japan in the 1930s-40s, a conflict that claimed millions of Chinese lives. The war was followed by Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, getting the US directly involved.
In his speech at the military parade, Xi Jinping said China was “unstoppable” adding: “Humanity is again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games”.
The military parade comes days after the the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also in attendance.
