Asia Geopolitics

What Actually Mattered at China’s Big Military Parade?

12 snips
Sep 6, 2025
In this discussion, Shannon Tiezi, an editor at The Diplomat and a seasoned expert on China, dives into the recent military parade in Beijing. She unpacks the geopolitical dynamics of Central Asia, revealing Kazakhstan's balancing act between China and Russia. Tiezi contrasts China's proactive military strategies with the introspective focus of the U.S. The conversation highlights Kim Jong-un's presence at the event, signaling strengthened ties between China and North Korea, and showcases cutting-edge technologies like drones and advanced missiles that underline China's military ambitions.
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INSIGHT

China Showed Convening Power

  • China used back-to-back high-level events to display convening power rather than to focus on SCO policy outcomes.
  • Hosting 26 foreign leaders at Tiananmen signaled Beijing's ability to gather global south partners on demand.
INSIGHT

Framing China As Global-South Defender

  • Xi framed China as the moral heir of the WWII legacy by invoking justice and fairness for the global south.
  • The parade aimed to position China as champion of a multipolar order where developed democracies were absent.
INSIGHT

Parade Highlighted Intelligentized Warfare

  • The parade emphasized 'intelligentized' warfare: networked systems, drones, cyber and space forces.
  • New PLA services and advanced systems signaled China prioritizes modern, networked battlefield capabilities.
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