China's September 3, 2025 Victory Day parade marked a pivotal moment in demonstrating the People's Liberation Army (PLA) transformation into what Xi Jinping envisions as a "world-class force." The event showcased unprecedented military capabilities while signaling broader strategic shifts across multiple domains of warfare and international relations.
I wanted this as a digital reference for a Strategic Foresight Analysis (SFA) workshop this week - sharing with you in case it’s of broader interest.
The radar chart illustrates China's comprehensive military transformation across all domains of warfare, with nuclear modernization scoring the highest due to the historic nuclear triad demonstration, followed closely by AI integration, coalition building, and anti-access technologies. This multi-dimensional advancement signals China's preparation for what it terms "local wars under high-tech conditions" while positioning itself as the leader of an alternative international order challenging Western dominance.
Nuclear and Strategic Forces Modernization
China achieved a historic milestone by unveiling its complete nuclear triad for the first time, displaying land-, sea-, and air-based nuclear delivery systems simultaneously. The parade featured the new Dongfeng-61 (DF-61) intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), described as among the world's most advanced ICBMs for velocity, range, accuracy and warhead capacity. The upgraded Dongfeng-5C (DF-5C) liquid-fueled ICBM demonstrated global strike capability with an estimated range of 20,000 kilometers and multiple independently targetable warheads. The Julang-3 (JL-3) submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) showcased China's advanced second-strike capability from sea-based platforms, while the Jinglei-1 (JL-1) marked China's first air-launched nuclear missile, completing the nuclear triad.
Strategic Impact: This nuclear capability demonstration represents China's emergence as a peer nuclear competitor to the United States and Russia, fundamentally altering global strategic balance and deterrence calculations.
AI and Autonomous Systems Integration
The parade showcased China's rapid integration of artificial intelligence across all military domains. Featured systems included the FH-97 stealth drone designed as "loyal wingmen" for J-20 stealth fighters, AJX002 large autonomous underwater vehicles for long-range patrol and undersea surveillance, and quadruped robotic "wolves" for ground operations. New autonomous helicopter drones were displayed to support Z-20T operations, while crewless ground vehicles and autonomous turrets on fourth-generation tanks demonstrated comprehensive robotics integration. The QBZ-191 rifle equipped with electronic modules illustrated how AI is being embedded even at the individual soldier level.
Technological Significance: These systems represent China's commitment to "intelligentized warfare" where autonomous systems operate in coordinated swarms without human intervention.
Military Organizational Reform
For the first time, China's new military structure made its collective debut with four services and four arms under the Central Military Commission (CMC) direct command. The traditional services—Army, Navy, Air Force, and Rocket Force—were joined by four new arms: the Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force, and Joint Logistics Support Force. This represents the dissolution of the Strategic Support Force (SSF) established in 2015 and its reorganization into specialized branches for multi-domain operations.
Organizational Impact: The restructuring centralizes information warfare capabilities under Xi Jinping's direct control while enabling integrated joint operations across all domains.
Coalition and Alliance Building
The parade featured unprecedented international participation with 26 foreign leaders attending, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. This marked the first time Kim attended a Chinese military parade in 66 years and the first public appearance of Xi, Putin, and Kim together. The event followed the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin, creating a week-long diplomatic showcase.
Geopolitical Significance: The gathering demonstrated what analysts call an "Axis of Upheaval"—a coalition of heavily sanctioned nations challenging the US-led international order.
Space and Cyber Warfare Capabilities
China revealed advanced space-based capabilities including the HQ-29 missile defense system, described as a "satellite hunter" capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and low-orbit satellites at altitudes up to 500 kilometers. The new Aerospace Force showcased space operations and launch capabilities, while the Cyberspace Force demonstrated offensive and defensive cyber operations. The parade featured formations equipped with cyberspace warfare equipment and electronic countermeasures systems.
Domain Significance: These capabilities position China for competition in what military strategists consider the decisive domains of future warfare.
Anti-Access/Area Denial Technologies
The parade emphasized China's ability to project power and deny adversary access across multiple domains. Featured systems included hypersonic anti-ship missiles (Yingji-19, Yingji-21, Yingji-20), cruise missiles (Changjian-20A, Yingji-18C, Changjian-1000), and the Dongfeng-17 and Dongfeng-26D hypersonic variants with "all-weather combat capabilities". New naval capabilities included autonomous surface vessels and advanced submarine-launched weapons.
Strategic Message: These weapons demonstrate China's capability to hold US and allied forces at risk across the Indo-Pacific, particularly in a Taiwan scenario.
Information and Electronic Warfare
The parade showcased comprehensive electronic warfare capabilities including the Y-9 electronic warfare platform, J-16D and J-35A fighters configured for jamming and suppression of enemy air defenses, and the KJ-600 carrier-based airborne early-warning aircraft. The new LY-1 high-power laser weapon made its debut as a directed-energy weapon for point defense against drones and missiles. Advanced command systems and Network Security and Defense Centers demonstrated China's focus on information dominance.
Warfare Evolution: These systems reflect China's emphasis on "systems destruction warfare" that prioritizes disabling adversarial networks while protecting Chinese information systems.
Strategic Implications and Narrative
China's parade narrative positioned the event within Xi Jinping's vision of "Chinese rejuvenation" and resistance to "hegemonism and power politics", coded language for opposition to US global leadership. The compressed development timeline from third- to fourth-generation weapons systems (15 years versus historical 30-year cycles) demonstrates accelerated innovation capabilities. The integration of military-civil fusion strategy leverages civilian technology companies to overcome personnel shortages and accelerate advanced technology adoption.
The parade's strategic message: China has transformed from a "millet-and-rifle" army into a technologically advanced military capable of global power projection and multi-domain operations, backed by an expanding coalition of like-minded authoritarian states.