China's largest military parade begins in Beijing with world leaders attending

China’s largest-ever military parade began early Wednesday in Beijing, showcasing the country’s growing military might as President Xi Jinping welcomed heads of state including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The event is being broadcast live by the state-run CGTN news channel in Tiananmen Square, where thousands of spectators have gathered.

The celebrations opened with a volley of gun salutes.

Ahead of the event, President Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan greeted world leaders upon their arrival at the venue before walking alongside Putin, Kim and other leaders to the rostrum.

He is also expected to deliver a speech during the parade.

Putin arrived in the northern Chinese port city of Tianjin on Aug. 31 to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit before traveling to Beijing, while Kim arrived in the Chinese capital on Tuesday aboard his armored train. This marks Kim’s first participation in a multilateral event since taking power in 2011.

The parade featured marching formations, armored columns, aerial flyovers and performances by hundreds of musicians.

China displayed not only its traditional battle forces but also new-generation military capabilities, including unmanned systems, cyber and electronic warfare tools, underwater combat equipment and hypersonic weapons—all domestically produced.

China commemorates the end of World War II as the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The last major military parade marking the occasion was held in 2015.

Among other leaders in attendance were Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.