Introduction
China organized a victory parade on 3rd September, 2025, as a celebration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the independence of China from Japan. This massive military parade took place immediately after the SCO Summit in China. More than 20 heads of state attended the SCO Summit and victory parade. The most prominent among them were Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and the Supreme Leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. The 10,000 members of the People’s Liberation Army of China participated in the parade, and 50,000 people attended the event to watch the parade.
China displayed its military might in the form of modern weapons, including fighter jets, hypersonic and ballistic missiles, drones, aircraft, and long-range missiles to deliver nuclear warheads. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech from the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. The leaders of the three opponent countries of the United States, standing side by side, gave a strong message to the West, especially the United States of America. Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met with heads of state from other countries in sideline meetings. Furthermore, Putin formally invited Kim Jong Un to visit Russia, in a show of strong Russia and North Korea ties.
Key Takeaways From the Xi, Putin, and Kim Jong Un Meeting
During the SCO Summit, China and Russia decided to provide better financial options to the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). It would increase trade and economic cooperation among the member countries. Russia and China, commonly seen as rivals of the United States, engage all small states of Asia in their political and economic activity to counter the US in their region.
The meeting with the North Korean leader also shows that China is maintaining close ties with all the enemies of the US. North Korea is among the biggest rivals of the United States, and the recent visit of its leader to China gave the impression that US enemies are joining hands to encounter the US militarily and diplomatically. Furthermore, a meeting was also held between Putin and Kim, and both leaders invited each other to their countries.
This meeting revived the long-delayed project, the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, between China and Russia. The agreement is signed between both countries to start building the pipeline after the delay since 2020. This pipeline is built to transport the gas from Siberia to China via Mongolia. Both China and Russia would bear the financial cost of the project in their respective areas.
The legal MoU is signed between Russia’s leading energy firm, Gazprom, and the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). Russia would provide 50 billion cubic meters of gas to China per annum. It would increase cooperation in the energy sector of both countries despite the sanctions on Russia owing to the war in Ukraine. Russia has the direct benefit of this agreement because most European countries are not buying Russian gas anymore, and this has led to a decline in Russian gas exports, which will now increase.
The meeting of Putin, Kim, and Xi Jinping shows that the world order is changing with the passage of time. Most countries don’t want to accept the United States’ hegemony anymore due to the unpredictable decisions of President Donald Trump. It is slowly shifting the power structure worldwide.
US Response
The president of the United States, Donald Trump, officially gave a statement in which he claimed that the Chinese president is leading the conspiracy against the US. He further stated that the US Army helped China during its war of independence against Japan, and now China is making a bloc against the United States instead of acknowledging its efforts. According to President Trump, the United States has the best army in the world, and China would never use its military against the US.
Future Implications for the United States
This unity of Asian powers has future implications for the US and its allies. The United States used India for decades to counter China in the region. But due to the recent cold behavior of Donald Trump towards India, the United States lost its strong partner in South Asia. Furthermore, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, attended the SCO Summit in China and showed his tilt towards China. This huge diplomatic shift in Indian foreign policy is a clear message to the United States that India will no longer play the role of the US puppet state against China in the region. This move by India will create a problem for the United States in the future because no other state after India can go against China. After all, China has huge economic investments in almost all Asian countries.
Some defense and political analysts are predicting that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization can give strong competition to NATO in the future due to its progressive growth every year. It would be possible only if all the member states show unity and cooperate in different sectors, including the economy, military, trade, and investments. It would be difficult because South Asia is the most conflict-ridden zone in the world. The conflicts in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Iran, and other countries are decades old, and there is no chance of resolution of these issues in the near future. However, in case all the member countries of the SCO unite against the US, then it would be a problem for the US and its Western allies.
Conclusion
China’s recent display of strength in its victory parade indicates that it is now prepared to challenge the US politically and diplomatically. China understands that economic stability is crucial in the global power structure. A more economically stable country is more likely to be heard at international forums. Therefore, China has prioritized its economic security to insulate itself from US tariffs.
When the US imposed tariffs, China responded with its own restrictions, as both nations trade at nearly equal levels. This economic success has led some to believe that China might bypass the US and become a global superpower soon. However, overthrowing a superpower is no easy task. The US did not become a superpower overnight; it took decades, and it has maintained its dominance for many more. While some argue that the US decline has begun due to internal decisions and alliances between China, Russia, and other Asian powers, it will still take many years for China to surpass the US and achieve superpower status.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
Ms Jaweria Naseem is currently pursuing her Bachelor's in International Relations from International Islamic University, Islamabad.