King's College London

Astrid Nordin, Professor of Chinese International Relations at King’s said the parade serves multiple purposes, “This is first and foremost a display and of course that display is both for a domestic audience and international audience.

Xi Jinping and the Chinese party state want to show both of these audiences that there are many who respect China, that its well-regarded on the international stage, that statesmen flock to show respect to China and that it has very very impressive strength”.

The absence of a South Korea official who declined to attend the parade was a marked difference from ten years ago and instead occupied by North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un. Speaking of Taiwan, Professor Nordin said that Taiwan was a key reason for the military display, “The big shift in context here is not the Chinese message. The Chinese message has for a long time been that China needs to be able to protect itself from those who don’t want it well, primarily the United States. The difference is the fertility of the ground on which this message now falls where many think that the West and the US looks more split and less reliable than it has for a long time. And that’s not going amiss in the region either and there will be many who watch that with concern”.

Commenting on US President Trump’s reaction saying that China, Russia and North Korea were conspiring against the United States, Professor Nordin said that Beijing will likely be undeterred by Trump’s comments, “They know this is the kind of rhetoric that is going to come from Trump. Trump won’t like that others are standing up against this, that they are showing unity, strength and that China is putting a credible and well weaponised alternative on the table for others to organise around in a context where the US is looking less and less like a credible leader in that space”.

This article is based on an interview with Astrid Nordin by BBC World News on 3 September 2025.

Watch the interview