In front of Putin, Kim, and 24 other heads of state and government, Beijing is preparing a grand military parade to mark 80 years since Japan’s defeat in World War II – new weapons will also be showcased.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, global attention will turn to China, as leaders of countries opposed to the West gather in Beijing (some, such as Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, have already arrived) to show their support for Chinese President Xi Jinping at the military parade commemorating 80 years since Japan’s defeat in WWII.

According to The Guardian, China is planning a massive military parade to demonstrate both its military and political power. The parade will take place in Tiananmen Square and will be attended by 26 world leaders, underscoring China’s growing diplomatic influence. Local media report that new weapons will be presented for the first time.

China’s strategy aims to challenge Western dominance and promote a multipolar world order, with Xi Jinping reiterating his ambition for Beijing to take a leading role on the global stage. Yu Jie, a senior research fellow at Chatham House, notes that Xi seeks to reshape the international order by emphasizing cooperation with non-Western countries and promoting a new world led by China and Russia.

The parade comes just two months after the relatively low-key U.S. military parade marking Donald Trump’s 79th birthday, prompting immediate comparisons between the two superpowers’ military strength. Simon Weseman, senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, points out that China is unafraid of measuring its military presence against that of the U.S., sending a clear message to the world.

China’s historical narrative of WWII also serves as an important political tool. Xi Jinping has focused on highlighting the roles of China and the Soviet Union in resisting Japanese militarism and Nazism, while downplaying the contributions of the U.S. and Europe.

This narrative has been reinforced through China’s film industry, with productions such as Dead to Rights, based on the Nanjing Massacre, and Dongji Rescue, centered on the heroic rescue of British prisoners by Chinese fishermen.

China stresses that its national power is rooted in Japan’s defeat and the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party, which continues to dominate politics while facing economic challenges and an ongoing trade war with the U.S.

The international community will closely monitor the parade, as China projects its military might while sending a message to countries such as Taiwan (and its supporters like the U.S.) that resistance to the Chinese “giant” is futile.