China Victory Day Parade 2025
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General Studies Paper II: India and its Neighbourhood, Effect of Policies & Politics of Countries on India’s Interests |
Why in News?
The China Victory Day Parade took place in Beijing on 3 September 2025 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of China’s triumph in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the wider World Anti-Fascist War.
Highlights of China Victory Day Parade 2025
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- Venue: The ceremony took place on 3 September 2025 at Chang’an Avenue and Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance.
- It was celebrated to honour the struggles of the Chinese people during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) and to remind the world of China’s role in the victory over fascism during World War II.
- Venue: The ceremony took place on 3 September 2025 at Chang’an Avenue and Tiananmen Square to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance.
- Participation: General Secretary Xi Jinping was present at the parade along with key members of the Chinese Communist Party and senior representatives of the Central Military Commission.
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- A total of 26 world leaders joined the occasion, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and other dignitaries from Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe.
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- Military Modernisation: A defining feature of the parade was the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) presenting its new generation of combat equipment.
- Domestically produced equipment such as fifth-generation stealth fighters (J-20 and J-35), carrier-based aircraft like J-15T, and early warning systems like KJ-600 were displayed.
- The Y-20B transport aircraft, fitted with the indigenously developed WS-20 engine, reflected China’s growing confidence in its aerospace industry.
- Unmanned aerial vehicles such as GJ-2, CH-7, and GJ-11 stealth drones highlighted the shift toward intelligent and unmanned warfare.
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- Hypersonic systems such as the upgraded DF-17 were presented as proof of China’s capability in anti-access and area denial.
- Advanced HQ-29 missile defence platforms, the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), often regarded as one of the most powerful weapons in China’s arsenal were also showcased.
- The parade demonstrated readiness, especially in the domains of cyber warfare, unmanned systems, electronic operations, and underwater combat capabilities.
The Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was one of the largest and most destructive conflicts in Asian history. It lasted from 1937 to 1945 and played a decisive role in the wider theatre of World War II. The war brought massive human suffering, reshaped political dynamics in East Asia.
- Origin: The roots of the war lay in Japan’s expansionist policy in East Asia. After Japan seized Manchuria in 1931, the hostility between the two nations intensified and paved the way for prolonged conflict. The immediate trigger came with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident near Beijing on 7 July 1937, when a clash between Japanese and Chinese troops escalated into full-scale war. Japan aimed to dominate China’s vast resources and territory, while China sought to resist occupation and maintain independence.
- Duration: The Second Sino-Japanese War lasted for eight years, making it one of the longest wars of the 20th century. The conflict engulfed major regions including Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Wuhan. By the late 1930s, Japanese forces had occupied much of eastern China, which contained the nation’s most developed industrial and agricultural regions.
- Chinese Resistance: China’s defence efforts were directed by both the Nationalist forces under Chiang Kai-shek and the Communist forces led by Mao Zedong.
- They formed a United Front to fight against Japan. Major battles such as the Battle of Shanghai (1937) and the Battle of Changsha (1939–1942) showcased China’s determination.
- Guerrilla Warfare in rural areas led particularly by Communist forces, tied down large numbers of Japanese troops and prevented them from consolidating full control.
- International Dimension: The Second Sino-Japanese War became part of the global struggle of World War II after 1941. China received support from Allied powers, particularly the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom.
- American assistance through the Lend-Lease program supplied weapons, aircraft, and training to Chinese forces.
- In the early phase of the war, the Soviet Union extended support by sending advisors and supplying military equipment to China.
- End of the War: The war concluded in August 1945 following Japan’s surrender after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet entry into the war against Japan.
- By the end of the war in 1945, China recovered its lost regions, including Manchuria and Taiwan, which had been under Japanese control.
- However, the end of the war also reignited tensions between the Nationalists and Communists, which soon escalated into the Chinese Civil War (1946–1949).
- Impact: The war inflicted catastrophic damage on the civilian population. Historians estimate that over 20 million Chinese people lost their lives due to combat, starvation, disease, and massacres.
- One of the darkest episodes was the Nanjing Massacre of 1937, during which Japanese troops killed hundreds of thousands of civilians and committed widespread atrocities. The civilian suffering was intensified by aerial bombings of major cities such as Chongqing.
- The massive displacement of people, collapse of infrastructure, and food shortages created a humanitarian crisis that left long-term scars on Chinese society.
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- This victory enhanced China’s global standing and secured it a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council in 1945.
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The World Anti-Fascist War
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Note: Fascism was a political ideology that emerged in Italy under Benito Mussolini in 1922 and later spread to other countries, most notably Germany under Adolf Hitler.
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