China displays its military strength in a parade on the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII

BEIJING — China showcased its military might in a parade Wednesday marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II as it seeks to wield greater influence on the global stage. Leader Xi Jinping, speaking before the parade, paid tribute to Chinese veterans of the war. Since coming to power in 2012, he has sought to build China into a country that cannot be bullied and is strong enough to stand up to foreign powers. "The Chinese people are ... not afraid of violence and are self-reliant and strong," he said. The Chinese military showed off aerial and underwater drones, hypersonic missiles and fighter jets and bombers in a 90-minute event attended by the leaders of about two dozen countries, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. China's Communist Party hails progress since World War II The splashy commemoration of the anniversary is a way to boost support for Communist Party rule by showing the progress made by China. The country was a major front in the war and millions died during Japan's invasion. Xi, who has been positioning China as a stabilizing force in an unstable world, said humanity must choose between peace and war and dialogue and confrontation. "The Chinese people's rejuvenation cannot be blocked, and the noble goal of the peaceful development of human civilization must triumph," Xi said at the end of his speech. An analyst at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore said the turbulence in U.S. policy is an opportunity for China. "This is the right time for China to announce its arrival on the stage, to be a security guarantor, to fill the political, economic, military, diplomatic vacuums," said James Char, an assistant professor in the China Program. Parade showed off drone submarines and hypersonic missiles Highlights of the weaponry in the parade included the AJX002 underwater drone, a long, black, tube-shaped craft that looks like a narrow submarine with a rear propeller. Other weapons that got attention were hypersonic missiles designed to take out ships at sea and a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the DF-61, which could carry nuclear warheads to distant targets. The hypersonic weapons are of particular concern to the U.S. Navy, which patrols the western Pacific from its 7th Fleet headquarters in Japan. Fighter jets and bombers flew across the sky, some painting colored trails. Helicopters flew in formation, one group of 26 spelling out the number "80" for the war's anniversary year. The ceremony began with an 80-gun artillery salute, followed by the national anthem, the "March of the Volunteers," a song composed in 1935 during the early years of resistance against invading Japanese forces. Trump sends a message As the parade got underway, U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the big question is whether Xi will recognize the contributions of Americans who fought in the war. "Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America," he added. The U.S. eyed the gathering of the three leaders warily, as well as a 10-nation summit meeting in China on Monday that brought together Xi, Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro also took issue with "the three leaders who don't follow and go against international law" appearing together in the parade. "That's intimidation. For me, that's a threat specially to smaller nations," he told reporters in the northern Philippine mountain resort city of Baguio, where U.S. and Philippine officials commemorated the anniversary. Xi's remarks did not mention the U.S. by name but expressed his gratitude to foreign countries that helped China resist the Japanese invasion. Putin and Kim, who later held talks in Beijing, flanked Xi as they made their way to the platform overlooking Tiananmen Square. They paused to shake hands with five WWII veterans, some older than 100. Xi reviews troops and reminds them to defend China's claim to Taiwan The event began with troops marching in rhythmic lockstep, their boots echoing off the pavement, to be reviewed by Xi, who heads China's military as chairman of the Central Military Commission. Xi rode the entire length of their formations along Beijing's central Chang'an Avenue in a classic black limousine. He stood up through the vehicle's sunroof with four microphones lined in front of him and greeted flanks of personnel as he passed them and rows of armaments and military vehicles. They shouted back mottos in unison, such as "We serve the people." The People's Liberation Army is a heroic military "the people and the Party can trust and rely on completely," Xi said, adding that the army's task was to safeguard the country's sovereignty and unification — a reference to China's claim over the self-ruled island of Taiwan. Across the Taiwan Strait, President William Lai said military might should not be used for aggression or territorial expansion. "Taiwan does not use the barrel of a gun to commemorate peace," he said in a Facebook post. "Instead, it recalls the martyrs, remembers the lessons of history, and upholds the belief in freedom and democracy." Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price in Washington and Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines, contributed to this report.