Trump Skips Beijing’s Parade, Dodging a Blush

Who’s not coming, and why
Twenty-six foreign heads of state and government have been invited to attend the 9/3 Victory Day military parade in Beijing. One feature stands out: not a single “great power” will show up. And in the past few days, European outlets have zeroed in on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, asserting that “Xi Jinping is turning China into the centre of a ‘new anti‑Western order’.”
 
“The main countries of Europe and America are collectively absent, and Japan and South Korea are not on the list either. Japan even urged other countries to stay away from these events, underscoring the geopolitical divide.” Taiwan’s Central News Agency added: “Friction between China and Western countries over trade, technology, the Russia–Ukraine war and human rights issues may lead those countries to opt out of such high‑profile political commemorations.” Note: Slovakia is the only EU member state in attendance.
 
Is attendance the point?
Do the “great powers” need to show up at a pageant that symbolises the end of 300 years of Western hegemony? Deutsche Welle reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin, at the SCO summit in Tianjin, called for a reordering of global politics, saying “the Europe‑centric, trans‑Atlantic‑centric model has run its course.” Agence France‑Presse said that when Xi Jinping met leaders in Tianjin, he lambasted bullying in the current world order, with the aim “to underscore Beijing’s central role in regional affairs.” Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told reporters that “the Global South is no longer the silent majority or a vast, backward expanse – it represents an awakened new force and a new hope in a once‑in‑a‑century transformation.”
 
If the “great powers” won’t go to Beijing, so be it – there’s no need to force it. But to spin “no Western leader attended” as China’s embarrassment is, frankly, putting the wrong hat on the wrong head.
 
The Trump–Yalta fantasy
Some pundits had speculated Trump might attend the event, and that if a US–China–Russia trio actually materialised at the Beijing parade, the symbolism would rival the Yalta Conference – in February 1945 the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union met in Yalta to design the post‑war order.
 
That talk is just froth – not worth a second look. To borrow an analogy, Trump fancies himself the Son of Heaven of the Zhou (the Emperor of Zhou Dynasty) – though he most resembles the last of them, Emperor Nan. That said, America’s sway still holds. Didn’t the “seven European powers” previously – together with Zelenskyy – march into the White House to pay homage to Washington? And the United States announced that, before the September UN General Assembly, it had revoked visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority.
 
Nine Tripods, UN visas, and debt
The UN is headquartered in the United States. With a word, Washington can refuse visas and deprive anyone of the right to petition the UN for justice. All this is the very aura of the Nine Tripods in the hands of the Son of Heaven – and, to be fair, the comparison to Emperor Nan is actually not a bad fit.
 
Emperor Nan of Zhou – personal name Ji Yan, also called Chengjun – is best known for being “buried under a mountain of debt.” He borrowed from his subjects: “but, unable to repay, could only climb a high podium to hide from his creditors. The people of Zhou named the podium the Debt‑Dodging Terrace. Dependent on others for shelter and ashamed of his evasion, he was called “Nan”, the Blushing Emperor .”
 
Baidu Baike also records this: “In the fifty‑ninth year of Emperor Nan of Zhou – 256 BCE – the Son of Heaven allied with the lords to attack Qin, but was no match and lost. After defeat he offered up all the cities. That same year Ji Yan died, and Qin took possession of Zhou’s Nine Cauldrons – symbols of the heavenly authority. Seven years later Qin destroyed Eastern Zhou, and the Zhou dynasty perished.”
 
Any resemblance is purely coincidental. The United States owes more than US$37 trillion in public debt. Trump may not fear “default” – borrow long, roll it over and let size make it too big to fail. That said, voices in the Russian parliament once proposed moving the UN headquarters to China or Brazil – tantamount to stripping the United States of its Nine Cauldrons.
 
Looking back at reports from a decade ago, the Russian made its case plainly: “America’s global influence has declined significantly, and its behaviour and image are becoming ever more aggressive. We should therefore discuss moving the UN headquarters out of New York.”
 
Anyone with common sense would agree – I back it one hundred percent!

Deep Blue

** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **

The “decapitation” hype just hit fever pitch. Here’s the bold new chatter: Japan’s defense officials told local media that if the Fujian carrier ever enters the Taiwan Strait, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces should team up with the US military and put sinking it at the top of their to-do list.
  
This is what some war games lay out: If China ever expands its strikes from Kyushu and Okinawa all the way down to the Nansei Islands—plus every US base along the chain—Japan would recoil into defensive mode. And then, Taiwan has no choice but to do the same, as well as the US. Suddenly Tokyo, Taipei, and Washington are all in the same foxhole. The old “defend Taiwan” story morphs into an East Asia mega-battle, where there’s zero daylight between countering threats to Taiwan and threats to Japan.
 
That’s why, as Taiwan commentator Lai Yi-chung pointed out back in July 2023, everyone needs ironclad, three-way security channels—whether defending Taiwan, Japan, or America.
  
Solid logic, the old Russian doll theory: If Taiwan’s in trouble, so is Japan, so is the US. Back under Abe, nerves in Tokyo were already frayed, serving the right wing a golden opportunity. When COVID still stalked the world in 2022, Japan mapped out a plan for 1,000 anti-ship missiles—that’s three for each of China’s 300 warships (now nearly 400, more than even America fields). Their message was clear: Chinese carriers are to be sunk before they ever manage to sail. Taiwan’s mainstream loved it. Double insurance from both the US and Japan, island stability—no need for unification nor independence. Case closed.
  
Then came reality—the Fujian carrier entered service, and shattered this stack of Russian dolls to dust. America sobered up first. The others? Not even worth a footnote.
  
Punchline to the War Game
Last weekend, China Central TV pulled back the curtain: “2 Seconds, 20+ Years—The Untold Grit Behind Fujian’s Launch.” Here’s the money quote from the expert: “Sure, our carrier jets can blast off in two seconds. But getting to that moment took more than 20 years of grit. At the start, plenty doubted. Foreign giants spent decades and still fell short. Could China pull it off? Turns out, yes we can.”
  
The narrative’s heart-tugging, but the real story is buried in the specs. Qiao Jia, who led the Fujian’s construction, spells it out: Unlike Liaoning or Shandong, the Fujian is China’s first homegrown, catapult-equipped aircraft carrier. And it doesn’t just use any catapult system—it’s the world’s first with a conventional-power electromagnetic catapult. Every inch of that tech pushed China’s engineers to the brink, and they didn’t blink.
 
Here’s the cold, hard takeaway: Don’t just stare at the Fujian in awe, or obsess over the road China traveled to get here. The killer fact is, after more than 20 years of grinding, China now owns this tech—and its world-class manufacturing machine means the next Fujian-level carrier could roll out in two years, one year, half a year, or even just two months.
  
No Magic, Just Muscle
Why should anyone take China at its word? Are the claims real—or just bluster? Against nonstop foreign skepticism and a wall of Western tech barricades, CCTV lays it bare: “We started from zero. No playbook. No shortcuts. Real power tech isn’t handed down or bought in a back room. Only by blazing new trails, daring to outdo the world, grinding in silence, and refusing to quit can we keep smashing ceilings—and locking core tech in Chinese hands.” In short, that “Made in China” label? It’s the one thing no rival can beat.
 
Let’s cut the magic act—there’s no David Copperfield here. Think Japan’s top brass wants to wait for a Trump comeback to “sink Fujian”? By all means, keep waiting. If you’ve got the nerve, then step up and show us.