Beijing, September 5, 2025 — Chinese President Xi Jinping has set the stage for what many analysts describe as a turning point in global power politics. At a grand military parade in Beijing this week, Xi shared unusually warm moments with Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The choreography of these interactions—embraces, light-hearted exchanges, and symbolic gestures—was far more than political theatre. It was a statement to the world: a new order is emerging, one less tethered to Washington and increasingly shaped by Beijing.
The imagery was striking. Xi and Putin, often cast as the most visible challengers to U.S. dominance, exchanged a firm embrace before a phalanx of Chinese troops. Moments later, Xi clasped Modi’s hands in what observers described as a display of reconciliatory strength, bridging the often-fraught ties between Beijing and New Delhi. The most unusual episode came in Xi’s conversation with Kim Jong Un, reportedly touching on topics as surreal as organ transplants and longevity—an almost theatrical moment underscoring Kim’s desire to remain relevant in this evolving circle of power.
The Optics of Leadership in a “Post-Trump” Era
The timing of these gestures is no coincidence. With Donald Trump’s second presidency introducing volatility in U.S. foreign policy, America’s traditional partners and rivals alike are recalibrating. For Xi, the parade was an opportunity to present China not just as a regional giant but as a stabilising force in a fractured global landscape. The message resonated with leaders such as Putin and Kim—both under heavy Western sanctions—as well as Modi, who has increasingly sought to balance India’s alignment between Washington and Beijing.
Analysts note that while these leaders share little in common ideologically, their growing frustration with what they view as U.S. unpredictability has drawn them closer. Trump’s transactional approach to alliances, coupled with trade pressures and wavering security commitments, has left openings that Beijing has been quick to exploit.
China’s Push for a “New Global Governance”
For Xi, this diplomatic theatre fits neatly into his broader foreign policy blueprint: promoting what Beijing calls a “new global governance initiative.” This vision emphasizes sovereign equality, economic solidarity, and multilateralism—principles pitched as alternatives to what Xi describes as Western hegemony. The Belt and Road Initiative, China’s expanded role in BRICS, and growing defense ties with Russia all feed into this narrative of a multipolar world where power is distributed, not concentrated.
At the parade, Xi reiterated these themes, describing China’s role as that of a nation committed to peace, stability, and global cooperation. Yet the display of nuclear-capable missiles and hypersonic drones underscored that this vision is also backed by hard power.
Not Quite an Alliance, but a Shared Moment
Despite the optics, analysts caution against seeing this as the birth of a formal bloc. China, Russia, North Korea, and India all have diverging interests, with territorial disputes, economic rivalries, and competing ambitions still very much alive. As The Guardian observed, the spectacle reflected “strategic posturing” more than institutional unity. Modi, for instance, continues to pursue defense and trade partnerships with the U.S., even as he entertains Beijing’s gestures of friendship.
Still, symbolism matters in geopolitics. By embracing three such disparate figures on one stage, Xi projected a vision of himself as a convener of power, willing to blur ideological lines in the pursuit of influence.
Implications for the Global South and ASEAN
For nations in the Global South, including Southeast Asia, these developments carry weight. Many ASEAN states are navigating a careful path between U.S. security ties and Chinese economic dominance. Xi’s display suggests that China will continue positioning itself as the anchor for non-Western states—offering an alternative model of development, security cooperation, and global representation.
Malaysia, for instance, is already deepening ties with Beijing through projects under the Belt and Road framework and broader trade cooperation. The new “parade of partnerships” signals that as U.S. credibility is tested, China’s courtship of its neighbors will only intensify.
A World Watching Closely
Ultimately, the Beijing parade was not just about military hardware or pageantry. It was about narrative—an attempt to shape the perception of China as the nexus of a world increasingly weary of U.S. unpredictability. Whether this fragile constellation of Xi, Putin, Kim, and Modi evolves into a sustainable axis remains uncertain. But the optics have already made their mark, highlighting the emergence of a multipolar world where Beijing is determined to take center stage.
