Exovera’s report, China’s V-Day Commemoration Parade, reviews Chinese state media coverage of the September 3, 2025 military parade in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. While framed as a solemn commemoration of WWII, the reporting emphasized the scale and symbolism of the event—over 10,000 troops, aerial flyovers, hero unit banners, and the presence of foreign dignitaries including Russian President Vladimir Putin and DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. President Xi Jinping presided over the parade and delivered a speech linking China’s historic sacrifices—highlighted as 35 million casualties—to its current pursuit of modernization and “peaceful development,” casting the commemoration as both remembrance and renewal.
At the same time, the parade served as a showcase of the PLA’s modernization. State media coverage spotlighted the first public unveiling of China’s nuclear triad, along with hypersonic missiles, directed-energy weapons, anti-UAV formations, and electronic warfare systems. The debut of the PLA’s Aerospace, Cyberspace, and Information Support Forces, as well as the participation of Chinese UN peacekeepers, underscored Beijing’s efforts to frame the PLA as both technologically advanced and internationally engaged. Collectively, the coverage reveals how China leveraged the anniversary to blend historical memory with demonstrations of military power, projecting the PLA as a modern force central to both national rejuvenation and global security.
