Beijing’s grand military parade this week drew global attention, not only for the display of modern weaponry but also for the company China’s President Xi Jinping chose to keep. Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Xi presided over a spectacle that some analysts say reflects shifting power dynamics in the global order.
The leaders’ joint appearance sparked questions about whether an alternative to the US-led international system, established after World War II, is taking shape. While the parade highlighted military strength, it also underscored political symbolism, with three of Washington’s biggest rivals standing side by side.
Observers remain divided on whether this marks the dawn of a new order or simply a coalition of convenience. “I think it is less the case that we are seeing the emergence of a new world order, than that we are witnessing the demise of the previous one,” said Katie Stallard, author of Dancing on Bones: History and Power in China, Russia and North Korea.
The event followed closely on the heels of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. Once dismissed in Western capitals, the SCO has grown into a bloc of ten nations, representing nearly 30% of global GDP. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, often seen as leaning West, attended the gathering and was photographed warmly engaging with Putin—despite US disapproval of India’s continued energy trade with Moscow.
“Despite the Western boycott, China is confident in showcasing its own circle of like-minded authoritarian partners,” said Alexander Davey, an analyst at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin. He added that dissatisfaction with US policies extends beyond China-friendly states, suggesting “a non-Western regional sphere where alternative norms are beginning to take shape.”
Xi’s message was clear: “China is a great nation that will never be intimidated by any bullies,” he declared, echoing his earlier assertion that “the East is rising, and the West is declining.”
In Washington, President Donald Trump responded with a mix of criticism and admiration. On social media, he mocked the trio’s camaraderie as “conspiring against the United States,” but later described the Beijing ceremony as “very, very impressive.” The reaction reflected the delicate balance between rivalry and recognition in US-China relations.
Experts warn that China’s ambitions go far beyond symbolism. “Beijing wants the United States to reduce its presence in Asia and yield to China’s dominance in the region,” said Isaac Stone Fish, CEO of Strategy Risks, a New York-based consultancy.
China has already invested heavily in parallel institutions, from the Belt and Road Initiative to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and continues to promote its vision of a multipolar world order. Xi reinforced this at the SCO summit, unveiling his “global governance initiative” centered on a reformed United Nations.
Whether this vision gains traction remains uncertain, but the imagery of Xi, Putin and Kim standing together in Beijing is likely to resonate far beyond the parade grounds.
