New nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), giant underwater drones and laser weapons have been unveiled in China’s military parade today in a show of strength against the West.
China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un grinned as the weapons were being displayed during the commemoration of the end of World War II in Beijing.
This is the Chinese leader’s third parade on Tienanmen Square – equaling the total of his three immediate predecessors – so he has proven that he knows how to throw on a good spectacle for other authoritarians.
Much of the weaponry and equipment in the parade is being shown to the public for the first time, according to Chinese media.
One of them is the DF-5C, a new variant of the Dongfeng-5 nuclear ICBM, which is carrying as many as 12 warheads.
It is a two-stage missile that uses liquid fuel, which means its trajectory is propelled by two consecutive rocket stages, each with its own engine.
The missile is capable of striking targets across the globe, including the Western Europe and mainland America.
Hypersonic anti-ship missiles – which China has previously tested against mock-ups of US aircraft carriers – were also paraded.
Those included the Yingji-19, Yingji-17 and Yingji-20.
Multiple other cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles – some equipped with ‘all-weather combat capabilities’ – were shown off as well.
The parade featured drones that can operate underwater and in the air, as well as unmanned helicopters designed to be launched from ships.
The AJX002 underwater drone was a standout.
With a long, black tube-shaped craft, it looks like a narrow submarine with a rear propeller.
The sea-based systems included submarines, surface vessels and a mine-laying system.
Another anticipated weapon was also unveiled – the LY-1 laser, which was mounted on top of an eight-wheeler HZ-155 armoured truck.
As Metro reported yesterday, this is billed to be the ‘world’s most powerful laser defence system’.
Marching in the parade were the traditional People’s Liberation Army (PLA) units from the navy and army, but also new ones like the cyberspace unit.
The new unit is in charge of cybersecurity defense measures, according to the official Xinhua news agency, and also participated in live-fire drills.
Another debut was the information support force, created in 2024 to build network information systems to support military combat readiness.
This is the first major military parade in the People’s Republic since 2019 on the 70th anniversary of the founding of communist China.
Yet, for many in the West, the defining image of the grand show of military might is not the parade of nuclear missiles, stealth fighter jets, or drones.
It is the sight of Xi, Putin and Kim standing side by side, smiling and joking in an unprecedented show of solidarity against the West.
Designed to project China’s military might and diplomatic clout, the parade comes as US president Donald Trump’s tariffs and volatile policymaking strain its relations with allies and rivals alike.
Xi told a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators at Tienanmen Square: ‘Today, mankind is faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win-win or zero-sum.
He added that the Chinese people ‘firmly stand on the right side of history’.
Riding in an open-top limousine, the leader then inspected the troops and cutting-edge military equipment such as hypersonic missiles, underwater drones and a weaponised ‘robot wolf’.
A glance at his guests shows that most European leaders stayed away – apart from Putin and Aleksandr Lukashenko – while leaders from Africa, Asia and the Americas were present.
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian observed the parade alongside the host, while Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto, who initially cancelled his trip to China due to protests at home, eventually made it to Beijing.
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