A Nation Displayed
The event in Beijing had one clear message—China is positioning itself as the new center of power on a global basis, as it acts as an alternative to the US-led international system that has dominated the last century.
Trump had little to say regarding his reflections on the macro view of the military display in Beijing, except to say he thought it was pretty “very, very impressive.” Trump did not share any thoughts with warn Ploish President Karol Tomasz Nawrocki, except for who he was Initially dismissive, stating on a podcast that he was “not concerned” by the colossal display of military dominance that all these leaders were a part of or that even looked at.
Later, Trump expressed on his Truth Social platform his frustration that China didn't even mention or give credit to the United States for helping win the war, sarcastically cc-marked Putin and Kim Jong Un conspiring and conspiring against America.
Military parades have also typically been appealing to President Trump. He has attended France's Bastille Day before, organized his own military celebration in Washington, and recently met with Putin in Alaska for a jet flyover with a stealth bomber. Of course, unlike the beautifully synchronized formations and futuristic weaponry in Beijing, Trump is generally prone to nostalgia, given that his "Make America Great Again" message is literally about the past.
Beijing's parade has clear historical overtones—it's trying to play up its role in the defeat of fascism in World War Two. It also suggests that the re-framing of history may carry a promising signal about Beijing's intentions to re-frame the world-view going forward. Richard Wilkie, who served as the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in Trump's first term, stated that the US forces and Chinese nationalists were on the winning end of Japan's defeat far before the communist army was ever involved.
Look Where the Global Alliances Are Going
The more important political Toronto measures already demonstrated the ripple effects of Trump's "America First" trade policies, conveniently at the same time when Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Tianjin, when relations with the first two have experienced significant difficulties. It was noted by a large group of analysts and pundits
