Inside Story

China flexes its military muscle

Many are concerned about the message Beijing is sending amid regional tensions.

China pulled out all the stops to display its military might during a parade marking the end of the second world war.

President Xi Jinping said the commemoration was about remembering the sacrifices China made during the conflict. He also reaffirmed his country’s commitment to peace.

But most Western leaders did not attend the ceremony. Many say they are concerned about what they consider to be the parade’s anti-Japan tone.

They ae also worried about the message Beijing is sending with its show of strength amid regional tensions.

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Xiaoyang Tang – Associate Professor at Tsinghua University.

Yoshiki Mine – Research Director, Canon Institute for Global Studies.

Bonnie Glaser – Senior Associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Pacific Forum.