Beijing, September 6, 2025 — Under the blazing Beijing sun and the watchful eyes of global leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued a stark ultimatum to the world: humanity must now choose between “peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, win–win cooperation or zero-sum conflict.”
His address, delivered from Tiananmen Square during China’s most elaborate military parade in decades, was at once a plea for unity and a projection of power. Standing alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Xi sought to project China as both a responsible global actor and a rising military powerhouse unwilling to bow to Western narratives.
Symbolism in Attendance and Absence
The presence of Putin and Kim underscored China’s growing solidarity with states seeking to challenge U.S. influence and Western-led global governance. In contrast, the absence of European leaders was striking, highlighting deepening divisions between Beijing and Western capitals.
This juxtaposition reflected what analysts describe as China’s broader ambition: to redefine the global order as multipolar, less dominated by the United States, and more aligned with nations skeptical of Western hegemony.
A Parade of Peace, A Display of Power
Despite Xi’s repeated emphasis on “peaceful development” and his claim that China will “always stand on the right side of history,” the parade itself sent a different kind of message.
Tens of thousands of troops, cutting-edge drones, hypersonic missiles, and advanced naval hardware rolled past Tiananmen Square in synchronized precision. The scale of the display underscored China’s military modernization drive, designed not only to safeguard sovereignty but also to reinforce its global stature.
Observers noted the deliberate choreography: every declaration of peace was paired with a visible show of strength, leaving no doubt that China is prepared for confrontation if “peace” is denied on its terms.
Xi’s Message to the Global South
Beyond its immediate optics, Xi’s speech was also aimed at the Global South, a bloc of nations where China has been expanding influence through trade, investment, and security ties. By framing the world’s current moment as a choice between cooperation and conflict, Xi sought to position Beijing as a natural partner for countries weary of great-power rivalries but eager for development partnerships.
Echoes of a Shifting Order
The parade and Xi’s words carried echoes of both history and the future. China last operated under the global spotlight of a similar magnitude during the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony, which emphasized soft power. But in 2025, the tone is different: hard power, hard choices, and a harder message.
Western critics argue the rhetoric masks a more assertive, even expansionist, foreign policy. Supporters within China and aligned states counter that Xi’s words reflect realism—that in a fractured world, only those who project both peace and strength will shape the next chapter of history.
What Comes Next
As tensions simmer in the South China Sea, over Taiwan, and across global supply chains, Xi’s warning reverberates beyond China’s borders. The question of “peace or war” is not just rhetorical—it encapsulates the stakes of a multipolar century.
For Beijing, the answer is clear: peace, but on Chinese terms, supported by an unmistakable show of military readiness. For the world, the parade may well be remembered as a moment when China signaled, with unprecedented clarity, how it intends to blend diplomacy with deterrence.
