On September 3, Beijing will host a large-scale military parade commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited 26 foreign leaders to attend, among them Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Belarus’s Alexander Lukashenko, Iran’s Masoud Pezeshkian, and Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić.
The lineup of participants highlights the growing tendency of Beijing to consolidate ties with states whose leadership models are often described as authoritarian. The presence of Vučić at this high-profile commemoration underscores his consistent positioning alongside leaders who, like him, have been criticized for eroding democratic institutions and concentrating power in their hands.
While China frames the event as a remembrance of the global fight against fascism, the parade also serves as a powerful geopolitical statement: showcasing alliances, solidarity, and legitimacy among regimes that share skepticism toward liberal democracy and Western-led international order.
Vučić’s participation shoulder to shoulder with figures like Putin, Kim Jong Un, and Lukashenko reinforces perceptions of Serbia’s foreign policy tilt away from European democratic standards and toward partnerships with entrenched autocracies. His presence not only reflects Serbia’s diplomatic balancing act but also raises questions about how Belgrade intends to position itself between East and West in the years ahead.
