In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, from left Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto , Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un look out from Tiananmen Gate as they attend a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on September 3, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP
China defended on Thursday (September4, 2025) its decision to invite the leaders of Russia and North Korea to World War II commemorations, which President Donald Trump accused them of using to conspire against the United States.
Mr. Trump wrote a testy Truth Social post addressing his Chinese counterpart after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin flanked Xi Jinping at a massive parade in Beijing showcasing Chinese military hardware.
“Give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Asked about Mr. Trump’s post, Beijing’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday (September 4, 2025) “foreign guests” had been invited to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II.
“It is to work together with peace-loving countries and peoples to remember history, cherish the memory of the martyrs, cherish peace, and create the future,” spokesman Guo Jiakun told reporters.
“China’s development of diplomatic relations with any country is never directed against any third party,” he said.
The Kremlin, meanwhile, said Wednesday (September 3, 2025) it thought Mr. Trump’s allegation was “not without irony”.
Beijing had much stronger words for the European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas, who also criticised the parade.
Ms. Kallas said Wednesday (September 3, 2025) that Mr. Xi, Mr. Putin and Mr. Kim appearing together was part of efforts to build an anti-Western “new world order” and was “a direct challenge to the international system built on rules”.
“The remarks made by a certain EU official are full of ideological bias, lack basic historical knowledge and blatantly stir up confrontation and conflict,” Mr. Guo said Thursday (September 4, 2025).
“Such statements are profoundly misguided and utterly irresponsible.”
He added: “We hope that those people will abandon their frog-in-the-well prejudice and arrogance…and do more things that are conducive to world peace and stability and China-Europe relations.”
Published – September 05, 2025 02:16 am IST
