China's 80th WWII Commemorations Turn Global Spotlight on Military Innovation & Diplomacy
China’s Victory Day commemorations on September 3 weren’t just a history lesson—they were a flex. With a jaw-dropping military parade featuring hypersonic missiles, stealth jets, and underwater drones, the event blended wartime nostalgia with 21st-century tech swagger. Over 10,000 People’s Liberation Army troops marched in lockstep, while global leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and the DPRK’s Kim Jong Un cheered from the sidelines. 🚀
Global Reactions: From Awe to Analysis
Slovak PM Robert Fico called it a "great mistake" for EU leaders to skip the event, while Japan’s media oscillated between fascination and concern. U.S. analysts, like Brookings’ Richard Bush, saw it as China’s "strength signal" to the world. Meanwhile, BBC’s Frank Gardner noted Pentagon experts will be dissecting the parade’s tech reveals for months.
Innovation Over Imitation
China’s homegrown weapons stole the show. Foreign Policy declared the country is no longer playing catch-up—it’s leading in domains like drone defense and laser tech. Russian analyst Alexey Anpilogov praised China’s "inexpensive, mass-produced" counter-drone systems, a must-have in modern warfare.
Diplomacy Meets Discipline
While some Western observers raised eyebrows at the military muscle-flexing, experts like Ladislav Zemanek highlighted China’s focus on peace and multilateralism. "China promotes diplomacy over confrontation," he wrote, contrasting it with conflicts like Ukraine. The parade’s precision—down to the last marching boot—left even critics impressed. 👟
