The Chinese XI steals the spotlight in a challenging impetus against the world order led by the United States

As the fire of the cannon echoed through Tiananman Square, even before the first set of troops that goosebugs overtook their way through Beijing’s central avenue, the most durable image of the day unfolded.

China’s President Jinping welcomed Kim Jong Un in North Korea with a long handshake, after which he continued to congratulate Russian Vladimir Putin, and then went to his place, surrounded by two of the world’s most residential leaders.

It was a pure political theater. And it was this meeting – not the weapon – seems to have annoyed US President Donald Trump.

When the parade began, Trump sent a sharply discarded message about social truth, accusing three leaders of conspiracy against America.

This may have been the reaction that the president hoped for, as he held Putin to the right and Kim to the left throughout the parade. The moment may even be designed to anger an American president, who might prefer to be the center of attention in the world.

The Chinese leader has stolen the spotlight and he uses it to show his power and influence on an union led by an Eastern, challenging group determined to return to a world -led world order.

This is a strong message from the XI, as the world is cheerful of the unpredictability of Trump’s presidency. In addition to Kim and Putin, there were more than 20 other foreign heads of state. A little earlier this week, the XI also turned out to be reset with its problematic relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Trump’s 50% fee for the import of Indian imports caused a thawing between longtime rivals.

The show on Wednesday had to be to celebrate an 80-year-old victory over Japan. But it was actually about where China was heading – right at the top, playing the role of a global leader.

And at his feet there was a military that was building to compete in the West.

It was the first time you were, Putin and Kim were seen together – and together they climbed to the top of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, which looks at the historic square to watch the parade.

The symbolism was difficult to miss. Communist China founder Mao Zedun announced the founding of the republic there in 1949 – and 10 years later, there he hosted Kim’s grandfather and then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev to observe a military parade.

It was the last time the leaders of the three countries were together. It was the height of the Cold War, China was isolated from much of the world, as well as North Korea, and the Soviet Union was the most powerful and the most rich of them.

Now China holds the reins in this regard. Nuclear armed, but still poor, North Korea needs Beijing’s help. And Putin needs the legitimacy he just provided to him.

In the past, he appeared to keep his distance from Putin and Kim and publicly maintained a neutral position in the war in Ukraine. He did not condemn it, but denied China to help Russia.

He even looked like he was on the sidelines, as Russia and North Korea had grown more recently. Kim sends troops to support Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in exchange for money and technology.

But now he seems to stand by his two neighbors, even when they continue to attack Kyiv.

“Today, humanity is again faced with the choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, winning a win or zero amount,” Mr. XI told crowds, along with millions, glued to the parade of state television across the country.

China is a “great nation that is never intimidated by any thugs,” he said.

And the military parade that followed was to show that it was a manifestation of power, precision and patriotism.

It started with a Salute pistol – 80 times to celebrate 80 years since China’s victory over Japan in World War II, ending a brutal occupation. The sound bounced from every corner of the square like 50,000 spectators, some of whom were war veterans in silence.

The choir followed, each member appeared exactly as the cameras panicked over them. They sang in perfect harmony: “Without the Communist Party, there is no modern China.” Each verse was diverted by raised fists.

The president suppressed the length of the parade route to inspect his troops before each combat unit alternates to be a step during their leader. Each joint impact on the asphalt was reflected through the stands.

The buckets came first in showing the new weapons of China. But they looked old compared to the subsequent. A new rocket with nuclear capacity that can be launched from sea, land and air, hypersonic anti -corporate missiles and laser weapons to protect against drone attacks. There were new submarines and air drones that could spy on goals.

The United States can still have an advantage refined over the years and through its participation in conflicts around the world, but there is no doubt that China is building a military to compete with it.

And the Show of Power on Wednesday was a statement aimed at Washington and its allies, as well as in the rest of the world – and even in Putin and Kim, who knew the importance of what they were looking at.

“The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is irresistible,” he said in his speech in an attempt to strengthen the pride in the nation.

It seems to be working on some people.

At a bridge overlooking the Tangui River, the crowds had gathered from the main route of the parade to try to see the military fly. The thirty-year-old Mr. Rong said he had found the parade to move.

“Meaning this moment is the most fundamental thing we can do. We believe we will return Taiwan to 2035,” he said.

This is the rhetoric that is afraid of many on the self -governing island of Taiwan, which China believes is a province that will one day be united with their homeland. XI has not excluded the use of force to achieve this. And the weapon he showed Wednesday, many of which emphasizes China’s naval capabilities, is obliged to worry about Taiwanese leaders.

He also worries many Western countries, especially in Europe, who are still struggling with how to end the war in Ukraine. Many were absent from the parade.

The 75 -year -old Khan Yongguang got rid of any suggestion that Western leaders had diverted the parade.

“It’s up to them to come or not,” he said. “They envy the rapid development of China. To be honest, they are aggressive in heart. We are fully engaged in the general prosperity of humanity. We are different.”

This parade nourishes a wave of nationalism at a time when China is struggling with serious internal challenges: a slow economy, a real estate crisis, an aging population, high unemployment of youth and local authorities in in -depth debt.

As confident as China appears on the world stage, the president must find a way to prevent the middle class from being worried about their future. China’s economic rise was once considered irresistible, but this is no longer the case.

So this parade – with all the rhetoric for an old enemy, Japan – can be welcome.

After a long display of avant -garde weapons, including nuclear missiles, the parade ended with thousands of pigeons and balloons put into the sky over Beijing.

Remembrance – songs, marches, rockets, drones, even “robots wolves” – were not so much for China’s struggle.

It was more about how far China came – and how it was catching up with the US and challenging it for supremacy.