China’s parade shows the world a strong force for stability in a turbulent era

On September 3, Beijing will stage a grand military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II. The sweeping columns of troops, the unveiling of next-generation weaponry, and the roar of aircraft overhead will draw global attention. Yet beyond the spectacle, the deeper message is clear: in an age of uncertainty and shifting power, a strong China is not a menace to peace but one of its chief guarantors.

For China, such parades are about more than hardware. They are about memory. During World War II, the nation lost more than 35 million lives. That trauma forged a lasting conviction that peace is priceless and stability indispensable. Today, the world finds itself unsettled once again. Regional wars drag on, the global economy is fragmenting, and climate stress is mounting. The international order, once assumed to be solid, is being reshaped before our eyes. In such a climate, the need for anchors of stability has rarely been more urgent.

It is in this context that Beijing’s parade takes on particular significance. The new systems on display—from hypersonic missiles and unmanned platforms to integrated cyber and electronic defence units—were designed not for conquest but for deterrence. Their purpose is to prevent miscalculation, not to provoke conflict.

For a country with 14 land neighbours and vast maritime boundaries, credible defence is not optional, it is essential. A secure China lowers risks rather than heightens them. Far from unsettling Asia, it helps steady it.

The economic dimension reinforces this point. Asia’s transformation into the world’s most dynamic region was made possible only with relative peace. China has been central to this story, expanding markets, strengthening supply chains and lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. Without stability, none of this would have been possible. A strong and steady China acts as a ballast, allowing the region to focus its energies on growth rather than conflict.

This approach is also rooted in cultural tradition. For centuries, Chinese philosophy has framed power as a means to preserve harmony.

The idea of “stopping violence with force” and the Confucian notion of “harmony without uniformity” point to a preference for moderation over aggression. That spirit can be seen today whether through contributions to UN peacekeeping, anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, or connectivity initiatives like the Belt and Road, China increasingly channels its strength into providing public goods rather than coercion.

The international dimension underscored the same message. Twenty-six heads of state and government—including Russia’s Vladimir Putin, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Indonesia’s Joko Widodo—will attend the commemoration. Their presence is not mere ceremony. It showed that in a fragmenting world, many countries, especially across the Global South, regard China as a reliable anchor. Despite calls from some quarters to stay away, leaders from diverse regions and political systems chose to stand alongside Beijing. It is a reminder that multipolarity is no longer an aspiration but a reality in the making.

The September 3 parade is therefore more than a display of arms. It is a statement about history and the future: that strength is necessary to safeguard peace, and that China’s role in a turbulent era is not to destabilise but to stabilise. At a time when order is contested and uncertainty deepens, a strong, stable and restrained China is more than a national accomplishment. It is a cornerstone of shared prosperity and an indispensable pillar of global peace.