" Humanity once again faces a choice between peace or war, dialogue or confrontation ." These were the words of Chinese President Xi Jinping, in Beijing with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to attend the parade celebrating the victory over Japan and the end of World War II. The event, however, transformed into a display of military and diplomatic strength by an "unstoppable" country. And while the trio attended the grand event, on the other side of the world, US President Donald Trump was not indifferent: "I wish President Xi and the wonderful Chinese people a wonderful day of celebration. Give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as they conspire against the United States of America," he wrote in Truth. "No one was plotting, no one was up to anything," Yuri Ushakov, Vladimir Putin's diplomatic advisor, told a Russian state media outlet shortly afterward.
The military parade, however, underscored that the Russia-China-North Korea axis exists and is increasingly united. The three leaders, with Xi at the center, first walked the red carpet in Tiananmen Square and then, side by side, witnessed the impeccably choreographed march of soldiers in step under the flags and the full array of air, land, and sea weapons: underwater drones, tanks, laser weapons, planes, and helicopters drawing the number 80 in the lightly hazy sky. The Chinese military unveiled new anti-ship missiles for the first time and what is expected to be the latest version of its colossal DF-5 intercontinental ballistic missile, the DF-5C, capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads to any point on Earth.
Thousands of participants chanted patriotic songs in the immense square decorated with red flags. Xi, standing in his convertible car as he drove down the Avenue of Eternal Peace, reviewed the troops and returned their salute. "The rebirth of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, and the noble cause of peace and human development will surely triumph," he said in his speech. He then warned that humanity "once again faces a choice between peace or war, dialogue or confrontation," and urged people to prevent the recurrence of "historic tragedies." No explicit reference was made to the United States, Taiwan, or the issue of US tariffs.
