Residents and tourists take photos at a themed flowerbed commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War in Beijing on September 2, 2025. Photo: VCG

China is poised to hold the grand gathering on Wednesday in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with leaders from multiple countries who are in Beijing to attend the commemorations, including Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

During his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Xi said that as global changes unseen in a century are unfolding at a quicker pace, a strong China-Pakistan relationship is conducive to safeguarding regional peace and development. The two sides should accelerate building an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era, to bring more benefits to the two peoples and set up a model for the broader neighborhood.

In his meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Tuesday, Xi emphasized that China and Uzbekistan should firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, practice true multilateralism, jointly implement the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), defend the outcomes of the victory in World War II, and safeguard the hard-won peace and tranquility.

Leaders from 26 countries are set to attend China's V-Day commemorations in Beijing, Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei announced last week.

China has been the focus of the global diplomatic stage ahead of the V-Day commemorations and the Shanghai Cooperation Summit (SCO), which has just concluded in North China's Tianjin, Lü Xiang, a research fellow on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times.

Lü said that in addition to remembering history, the V-Day commemorations are also a vivid demonstration of the strategic significance of China's home-court diplomacy, carrying a resonant impact amid the uncertainties the world faces today.


Peaceful diplomacy 

Against the backdrop of this worrying and uncertain international situation, the anniversary of the victory offers a pivotal moment for all to learn from history and work together to build a future free from the scourge of devastating wars, according to an article published by Xinhua on Sunday.

A capable builder and upholder of global peace, China stands ready to firmly safeguard the post-WWII international order and defend international fairness and justice together with other countries, per Xinhua. 

China's recent home-court diplomatic events offer a vivid display of its vision of peace, Wang Huiyao, founder and president of think tank the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), told the Global Times. Those events not only provide China the opportunity to engage with other countries and expand bilateral cooperation, but also build a platform for other nations to meet, shake hands and facilitate communication with one another, emphasizing the need for dialogue to bridge divides.

For example, South Korean National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to attend the commemorative events on Wednesday, South Korean media reported on Tuesday.

The visit coincides with a rare trip by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the Korea Herald said. Kim arrived in Beijing on Tuesday to attend the V-Day commemorations, per Xinhua. 

Whether Woo will meet with the North Korean top leader has drawn considerable attention, the Yonhap News Agency said on Tuesday.

Analysts believe the two may encounter each other at venues such as the Tiananmen rostrum or a reception. But there is also possibility that they would not meet at this occasion, some said. If a meeting takes place, Woo is likely to convey a personal message from President Lee Jae-myung to Kim Jong-un, according to the Yonhap News Agency. 


New stage for global co-op

Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico stated on Monday local time that he had accepted China's invitation to attend China's V-Day commemorations in Beijing and expressed his respect to China, China Central Television News reported on Tuesday. 

Fico, in a video attached to the report, stated that he respects all sacrifices made in the anti-fascist struggle, noting that China and the Soviet Union bore the greatest sacrifices in World War II, and he refuses to ignore this fact or distort history.

According to his own words, Fico is sorry and does not understand why only Slovakia will be represented in Beijing among the EU member states. "A new world order is being created, new rules of a multipolar world, a new balance of power, which is extremely important for stability in the world. Being part of such discussions means supporting dialogue and not acting like a sulking little child. This is how the EU and its representatives behave today," stated the Slovakian prime minister, according to European Newsroom. 

Multiple Western media outlets, when covering China's V-Day commemorations, have focused on the military parade to be held on Wednesday. The tone also deliberately highlights geopolitical tensions. 

Foreign Policy published an article headlined "China's military parade is a powerful diplomatic display." 

An article from Reuters said the parade aims to project "China's military might and diplomatic clout amid doubts over the US' global role." The agency cited an expert saying that "the increase in leaders from Central Asian, West Asian and Southeast Asian countries attending this year's parade compared to the last one in 2015 highlight's Beijing's progress in regional diplomacy." 

The Guardian reported that "it's not just about the past, the parade says a lot about the forces reshaping the world today, and in the future." It also claimed that the events were supported by "some of the world's most heavily sanctions nations" in a display of "unity against the West." 

Scrutinizing China's V-Day events under the context of geopolitical contests not only reflects a narrow-minded outlook, but also underscores the lack of determination among some Western countries to cooperate with the non-Western world, Lü said.

China is advancing its modernization - characterized by a peaceful development path - and striving for a peaceful, stable global environment in cooperation with the international community, said the Xinhua article, which stressed that as the world is turning its eyes to Beijing, the grand V-Day commemorations convey a crystal clear message: it's time to work as one to build a world of lasting peace and universal security.

The series of diplomatic events highlights China's approach of bridging differences and promoting cooperation. Instead of expressing bitterness, Lü said the West should acknowledge that China is providing a new stage for global collaboration and they should also join.