China's Military Parade: Unveiling New Weaponry and Displaying Strategic Power

Tue Sep 23 2025 12:34:27 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

China's recent military parade showcased an impressive range of new weapons, including advanced drones and missiles, signaling a significant shift in military strength aimed at countering the United States and its allies.

At a massive military parade, China showcased an array of new weaponry, emphasizing its growing military capabilities to a global audience. The parade featured prominent figures like Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, and revealed key insights into China's military technology advancements, particularly in missiles and drones. Experts discuss the implications for global security and the operational strengths and weaknesses of China's armed forces compared to the US.

China has unveiled a range of new weapons, drones and other military hardware in a massive parade that many see as a clear message to the United States and its allies.

The event saw Xi Jinping host more than 20 foreign heads of state, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, both of whom rely on China for economic support and more.

It was a display of Xi's growing power on the world stage, and of China's military prowess - the show included the Guam killer missile, the loyal wingman drone and even robotic wolves.

Beyond the hype and shiny new weaponry, what did we learn? Here are our five takeaways.

1. China has a lot of weapons. How well can it deploy them?

What was clear from Wednesday's display was that China has been able to quickly produce a diverse range of weapons.

Ten years ago, the military technology they put on show tended to be rudimentary copies of far more advanced equipment invented by the US, notes Michael Raska, assistant professor in the military transformations programme at the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore.

But this parade revealed a more innovative and diverse range of weapons, particularly drones and missiles - a reflection of how advanced their defence-industrial complex has become.

China's top-down structure and significant resources enable it to churn out new weapons faster than many other countries, points out Alexander Neill, an adjunct fellow with the Pacific Forum.

But how well can China's military integrate these weapons systems? They can show off these flashy advanced platforms, but are they organisationally agile to use them in the way they want to? Dr Raska asks.

2. China is focusing on missiles to counter the US

China has rolled out plenty of missiles, including some new variants. These include the Dongfeng-61, capable of carrying multiple warheads; the Dongfeng-5C intercontinental ballistic missile and the Guam Killer Dongfeng-26D, which could target US military bases in Guam.

3. China is going all the way with AI and drones

There were a wide range of drones, some of them AI-powered, but the standout was the AJX-002 giant submarine drone, which could conduct surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

4. China may have the technology, but the US still has an edge

The parade shows that while China is catching up with the US, the US military still excels operationally due to a culture of flexibility and rapid decision-making in the field.

5. The parade was a weapons sales pitch – and a chance to show the US a united front

The event served as a significant sales pitch to potential buyers of Chinese arms, with leaders like Putin and Kim Jong Un reinforcing a message of solidarity against US influence.