Major Events in China - September 2, 2025

Beijing Hosts Largest‐Ever “Victory Day” Military Parade BEIJING - President Xi Jinping presided over China’s biggest military parade in history at Tiananmen Square, marking the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender. Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Xi warned that “humanity faces the choice of peace or war” and reaffirmed China’s rise as a steward of a post-U.S. world order.

The 70-minute spectacle featured over 50,000 attendees, more than 45 marching contingents of the People’s Liberation Army, and displays of cutting-edge hardware including hypersonic missiles, drones, and advanced main battle tanks. Major roads and schools in central Beijing were closed for rehearsals and security, and helicopters trailing giant banners performed aerial flyovers.

Xi opened the parade with an open‐limousine review of the troops and greeted over 20 foreign dignitaries with English phrases such as “Welcome China.” Among surprise guests was Indonesia’s president, who faced significant domestic protests yet attended the event. Analysts noted that the gathering of Xi, Putin, and Kim could signal deepening defense ties among their three countries and may reshape Asia-Pacific security dynamics.

Government Calls for “Orderly Competition” in Artificial Intelligence Sector HONG KONG - China’s economic planners unveiled plans to rein in what they described as “disorderly competition” in the country’s booming US $140 billion AI industry. Officials cited concerns over overproduction and market fragmentation, but noted that companies like DeepSeek and Alibaba continue to develop open-source models rivaling Western counterparts despite U.S. export controls.

Morgan Stanley analysts project China’s AI market-alongside allied infrastructure industries-could exceed US $1 trillion by 2030, driven by strong investor optimism and state support for domestic champions. Critics warn, however, that Beijing’s track record of picking “winners and losers” risks stifling innovation if regulators intervene too forcefully.

Pakistan and China Pledge to Deepen “All-Weather” Strategic Partnership SHENZHEN - On the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Xi Jinping reaffirmed their “iron-clad, all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.” The two leaders agreed to accelerate the next phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), encompassing five new corridors spanning trade, energy, defence, and infrastructure.

Sharif congratulated Xi on the SCO summit’s success and on the 80th anniversary of the World Anti-Fascist War. Both sides committed to closer cooperation on regional security and global governance initiatives, underscoring the depth of bilateral ties.