China is gearing up to show off its latest military technology alongside the leaders of Russia, Iran, and North Korea at a military parade later this week in Beijing.
The “Victory Day” parade on September 3rd marks the end of World War Two after Japan’s formal surrender and will see tens of thousands of Chinese troops march through the capital along with advanced weaponry in a challenge to US military dominance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as North Korea's Kim Jong-Un and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, are expected to stand next to Chinese President Xi Jinping, completing a quartet that Western political and economic analysts have described as the Axis of Upheaval, a loose coalition of states bent on reshaping the Western-led global order.
Military buildup on display
Under Xi, the People's Liberation Army has undergone a significant buildup, rivaling and even surpassing the US military in some areas. While officials have kept secret the list of hardware to be displayed, Chinese officials said last month that the military would unveil “new-domain forces and new-quality combat capabilities.”
Wu Zeke, deputy director of the Military Parade Leading Group Office, was quoted by the South China Morning Post as saying that certain “unmanned and counter-unmanned systems will be publicly displayed for the first time, highlighting the PLA’s strong capabilities to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as to maintain world peace.”
Zeke also stated that the parade would feature “hypersonic, anti-missile defence and strategic missiles to exhibit our strong strategic deterrence capabilities.”
Over 10,000 personnel, hundreds of aircraft, and several hundred ground vehicles, directed-energy weapons, electronic jamming systems, missiles, air-defense, missile-defense technology, and more- all domestically produced- are reportedly set to take part in the parade.
Beijing has held large-scale rehearsals over three weekends in August, and leaked photos have led to many military enthusiasts already spotting significant new systems, including new unmanned aerial vehicles.
China’s Feihong FH-97 and FH-97A, developed by the Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation, a subsidiary of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), are said to be the leading drones that would fly alongside Beijing’s most advanced fighter jet, the stealth-capable J-20. According to a report in Interesting Engineering, the FH-97A has an integrated weapons bay that can carry air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions.
The GJ-11 Sharp Sword drone will also likely be showcased during the parade. The GJ-11 was designed for strike missions and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks and could possibly fly alongside J-20s and potentially from aircraft carriers.
In addition to aerial drones, armed unmanned robotic ground systems, main battle tanks with active protection systems, and an uncrewed turret, as well as armored vehicles, are also expected to roll through Beijing’s streets.
Among the most intriguing additions, though, are the two new unmanned underwater vehicles that are around 20 meters long. While they resemble torpedoes, they are said to function as autonomous submarines designed for reconnaissance, mine-laying, and anti-submarine warfare. Some analysts have raised the possibility of it being similar in appearance to Russia’s Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone.
Uncrewed surface vessels and four new anti-ship missiles- the YJ-15, YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20- that can be launched from ships or aircraft against vessels such as aircraft carriers and destroyers, were also seen during the rehearsals. YJ stands for “Ying Ji” or “Eagle Attack” and the YJ-17, YJ-19, and YJ-20 are believed to be hypersonic, able to fly at least five times the speed of sound and manoeuvre in mid-flight.
In 2019, the PLA unveiled new weapons during the parade as well, such as a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, a medium-range ballistic missile mated with a hypersonic glide vehicle, and its first undersea drone. It’s expected that upgraded missiles, including subsonic missiles with stealth capabilities, supersonic missiles and hypersonic missiles, will be on display this year.
Strategic signaling
Along with the showcasing of its newest military technology, Beijing’s allies will be shoulder to shoulder with Xi.
Putin, Kim, and Pezeshkian, all ostracized by the international community, are major customers of Chinese weaponry. Kim’s visit marks his first since 2019, and Putin last travelled to China in 2024.
Along with them, Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, Cuba’s Miguel Díaz-Canel, and the leaders of Congo and Zimbabwe will also attend. The only Western heads of state or government attending the events in Beijing are Robert Fico, the prime minister of European Union member state Slovakia, and Aleksander Vucic, the president of Serbia.
The list of leaders attending the parade reflects Beijing’s military rise and its changing relationship with the world. China, the world's second-largest economy, buys some 90% of Iran's sanctioned oil exports, and continues to source rare earth metals critical to the manufacture of wind turbines, medical devices, and electric vehicles from Myanmar. Many of those attending are highly dependent on Chinese trade and aid.
The parade is more than just a 70-minute spectacle marking 80 years since the country’s victory over Japan; it’s a geopolitical signal. With tensions simmering with Taiwan and in the South China Sea, China’s display of domestically produced, operationally ready equipment sends a message that the PLA is not slowing down in its march towards projecting its military might.
Reuters contributed to this report.