Officially, the military parade that rumbled down the streets of Beijing this week commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. But the parade was also sending a message to the world about Chinese military might today and its capacity to defend national interests and, if necessary, project power. It was a strong declarative statement about Beijing’s desire to construct a new world and its readiness to lead that effort — and the resulting order.
While China was one of the allies in the fight against Japan in World War II — what Beijing calls the “War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression" and the "World Anti-Fascist War” — there is a growing sense in that country that it has not received the credit it deserved for its contributions to that struggle. The ruling Chinese Communist Party hopes that winning that recognition will boost its legitimacy, even though the Nationalists, who fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing the civil war, deserve much of the credit. Building up domestic support will also pay dividends at a time of economic difficulty.
Beyond the historical correction, the Chinese message is clear. President Xi Jinping declared that “the Chinese nation is a great nation that does not fear brute force and stands strong through self-reliance,” adding that “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable.” The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is central to that effort and he urged it to “accelerate the building of a world-class military, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.”
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