A massive military parade is held in Beijing on September 3, 2025 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The armament formation is being reviewed at the event. Photo: Xinhua

China's V-Day commemorations on Wednesday, which included a massive military parade, have continued to attract global attention from world leaders, media and the public.

US President Donald Trump said that he was watching China's V-day celebrations including a military parade and thought that it was a beautiful ceremony, which was very impressive, US media reported on Thursday.

When asked by a reporter about the ceremony as well as the gathering of international leaders during the event, Trump said, "when they did what they did, I thought it was a beautiful ceremony. I thought it was very, very impressive. But I understood the reason they were doing it. And they were hoping I was watching. I was watching," US media reported. 

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is visiting China for commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, said he considers it "a great mistake" that heads of state and prime ministers of the EU member states ignored China's V-Day celebrations. 

Japan also closely watched China's V-Day military parade. The responses show a complex mentality, with some expressing awe at the spectacle and others showing wariness, according to media reports and social media posts. 

Multiple international media outlets have also shown interest in the advanced weapons displayed during the parade.    

Foreign Policy said that it is no longer enough to say that China's military is catching up or that it is copying foreign military equipment designs. "China is now innovating, and it is leading. In the process, the regional military balance that has for decades favored the US and its partners is being irrevocably changed."

The parade showcased advanced Chinese weaponry, helping drive home messages of the strength of the Chinese nation, Indian Express reported.

Straits Times reported that apart from being a show of deterrence and unity, the parade reveals something else - that Beijing increasingly sees China's wartime history as crucial in underpinning the country's credentials as a major international power, as it positions itself as a force for multilateralism and stability.

Some Chinese observers said the international order is shifting toward greater equality, driven by China's growing strength, along with the Global South countries, and the shared aspiration for fairness. 

China's military parade demonstrated enhanced deterrence, but China will not pursue confrontation; instead, it will defend its core interests while seeking to align them with those of others, observers said. The stronger China becomes, the more its culture of harmony will matter, they noted. 

Closely watched

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas claimed on Wednesday that China, together with Russia, Iran and North Korea - whose leaders appeared at China's V-Day military parade - represented an "autocratic alliance" challenging the rules-based international order. In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that the statements by the relevant EU official are full of ideological bias without basic historical common sense, and blatantly stoke rivalry and confrontation. It's a disrespect to the history of World War II and harms the EU's own interests. It's very wrongful and irresponsible. China firmly opposes and condemns that.

When asked to comment on US President Donald Trump's claim about the Chinese, Russian and North Korean leaders conspiring against the US on the occasion of China's V-Day commemorations, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday that China never targets any third party in developing diplomatic relations with any country.

The purpose of China inviting foreign guests to attend the commemorative events is to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and together with peace-loving countries and people, to remember history, honor the fallen heroes, cherish peace and create a better future, Guo said. 

According to "The Art of War," a Chinese classic written more than 2,000 years ago, the highest form of strategy is to subdue the enemy without fighting. China's peaceful environment today rests on that principle, Song Zhongping, a military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

"Without advanced weapons and a strong defense industry, such words would be empty," Song said, noting that true deterrence, built on real capability, is what guarantees peace. 

With many foreign leaders present, this parade shows global recognition of China's commitment to peaceful development and building a community with a shared future for humanity, he said, noting that China never bullies others, and will never allow itself to be bullied.

Peaceful development 

However, some Western media and observers still speculated on China's true intention in holding the commemorations. 

"Some countries misunderstand China's rise in three ways: they assume 'a strong power must seek hegemony,' they hold deep ideological bias against China's system, and they try to impose their own arms-control frameworks on China," Cui Hongjian, professor of the Academy of Regional and Global Governance at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

But in truth, what they find hard to accept is that a non-Western country can achieve comprehensive development, Cui said, noting that building mutual trust will take time.

Guo, the foreign ministry's spokesperson, said on Thursday that the Chinese government and people will never forget the foreign governments and international friends who supported and assisted the Chinese people in resisting aggression.. 

We invited more than 50 international friends or their families from 14 countries, including Russia, the US, the UK, France and Canada to attend the commemorative events. The Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries awarded 55 international friends with the commemorative medal of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, according to Guo.

Guo added that history cautions us that humanity rises and falls together. Only when all countries and nations treat each other as equals, coexist in peace and support each other, can we uphold common security, eradicate the root cause of war and prevent the reoccurrence of historical tragedies.