In the last few days, the air in Beijing was a bit tense, and the grand parade of September 3 is about to come. There are a few days left, all kinds of preparations are moving forward. From the official news, the event was to commemorate the victory of the anti-Japanese War and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, the scale is not small, and the participating national leaders are quite a lot. The focus is on the presence of Russian President Putin and North Korean leaders Kim Jong-un, both confirmed by the Kremlin, these two people appear rarely, and are now arranged on both sides of the Chinese leader. Putin is sitting on the right, which is the traditional guest, Kim Jong-un is sitting on the left, this layout is not random, these diplomatic details often hide

Indonesian President Prabowo, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar and Vietnamese President Liang Qiang in ASEAN are all here, including Kazakh President Tokayev and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz in Central Asia. There are also Mongolian President Khurelsukh, Iranian President Pezeshiziyan, Belarusian President Lukashenko and Cuban President Diaz-Canel. These people gathered in Tiananmen Square, and the lineup is quite targeted at first glance. Countries in the global South account for the majority, and many countries in Eurasia have sent high-level officials, showing a convergence in historical narratives. Western countries basically didn't show up. Except for Slovak Prime Minister Fizo and Serbian President Vucic, the leaders of other developed countries were nowhere to be seen. UN Secretary-General Guterres didn't come either, but sent his deputy Li Junhua to attend. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama came, but the current leadership didn't move.

South Korea did not send President Li in Ming, but the congress chief Wu Yuan Belt. Such a presence pattern, in a glance can see China's focus on diplomacy, invited are those countries that can follow in international affairs. The parade preparation began a few months ago, the official news center held the first press conference on August 28, the foreign ministry assistant Hong Li presented the situation. The activities include commemorative conferences and parades, total duration of 70 minutes, focus on displaying the new equipment of the Liberation Army. High-speed weapons, air defense anti-missile systems, strategic missiles these main combat equipment will appear, and there are many first public partners, such as land and sea strategic heavy weapons, unmanned and unmanned weapons, network combat system. Tanks, ships, jets

The security work has also been upgraded, the surrounding patrols have been strengthened, and the inspection of airports and railway stations has been tightened. Putin's visit to China is scheduled for August 31 to September 3. In addition to the military parade, he will also attend the SCO summit to discuss the Russian-Ukrainian issue and economic and trade cooperation with China. Kim Jong-un's attendance is his first visit to China since 2019. The last time was the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and North Korea. This time, he is expected to take the opportunity of the military parade to talk about peninsula affairs and economic assistance. North Korea's domestic economy is under great pressure, and the price of rice has risen a lot. Kim Jong-un may also want some support from China when he comes to Beijing. On the Russian side, Putin just met Trump in Alaska. Now he is coming to The war in Russia and Ukraine continues. Putin used this platform to show that he is not isolated. Russian media reported that he would discuss the peace process with China, but only if Ukraine made concessions. As soon as the seating arrangement was announced, it caused a lot of discussion. The left-right protector pattern of Putin's right and Kim Jong-un's left clearly emphasizes the close ties between China, Russia and North Korea. The leaders of the three countries shared a frame on the Tiananmen Gate building for the first time, which is highly symbolic.

In the past few years, China, Russia and North Korea have taken their own actions internationally. Russia was on the battlefield in Ukraine, North Korea provided support, and China remained neutral but called for peace. The United States and allies accuse China of giving parts to Russia, but Beijing has always denied it. Kim Jong-un and Putin have close relations. They met in Vladivostok last year. In June this year, Putin visited North Korea and signed a defense treaty. Now that the three of them gather together, they are showing off their muscles to the West and saying that we have our own circle here. The participation of countries from the global south also gave this military parade a new meaning. The Iranian President came, and the Myanmar Acting President Min Aung Laing also came. These countries are problematic in the eyes of the West, but they are partners here in China. The ASEAN countries ignored Japan's letter of dissuasion. The heads of state of Indonesia and Malaysia were present in person, and Vietnam came as soon as it finished its own activities. The presence of Kazakhstan and Pakistan strengthened the Central Asian rear. There are no developed countries on the list. Western media said this was a provocation against the West, but China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was a commemoration of history and safeguarding the achievements of World War II.

The German Foreign Minister went to Tokyo a while ago and joined the Japanese Foreign Minister to criticize China for changing the status quo in Asia. Japan's Shigeru Ishiba Cabinet also sent letters to Southeast Asian and European countries, urging them not to come, saying that the activities were anti-Japanese and excessively focused on history. But the letters didn't work and the attendance was high. Japan itself engaged in nihilism on historical issues, but now it is being counterattacked. The military display part of the military parade was the highlight. Officials said that new equipment accounted for a large proportion, reflecting the modernization process of the People's Liberation Army. In the past ten years, China's military has been reformed vigorously, structural adjustments, and anti-corruption actions have been promoted simultaneously. The defense budget has increased year by year, higher than the economic growth rate. The September 3 military parade in 2015 was the first, and this is the second, forming a new practice. Ten years ago, Park Geun-hye came, but now South Korea keeps a low profile.

The two sides also changed, Taiwan banned, competed for the right to speak historically. Beijing's activities emphasized anti-fascist narratives, and the guests were mostly victims of the Second World War or allies. Putin's presence reflected the high level of strategic cooperation between China and Russia, the two sides stood side by side on the parade in Moscow's Red Square in May this year, and now it's Beijing's turn. Kim Jong-un's accession made three-party cooperation more prominent. North Korea was active on the battlefield in the east, providing practical assistance, proving its share. In diplomatic terms, North Korea responded to the provocation of South Korea, controlling the situation on the peninsula outside the red line.