Thousands of soldiers marching in tight formations, state-of-the-art weapon systems — including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), rocket launchers, and battle tanks — and above all, Chinese President Xi Jinping projecting power standing in a grandstand above the iconic portrait of the founder of the People's Republic, Mao Zedong, on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. These images are circulating around the world on Wednesday.
Twenty-six heads of state and government from Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America attended the parade.
From Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic were present in the Chinese capital.
It sends out a clear signal that China wants to dictate the rules in a future world order.
"In autocracies, military parades like this are one of the tools used to demonstrate perceived or actual strength," said Eberhard Sandschneider, professor emeritus of political science at the Free University of Berlin and partner at the consulting firm Berlin Global Advisors.
"Driven by its economic boom, China is in the process of expanding its international role. Under President Xi Jinping, this process has gained significant momentum once again."
Xi, 72, has a clear vision: By 2049, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic, China must become a "modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized, and harmonious."
Projections by various renowned consulting firms show that the Asian giant could replace the US as the world's largest economy within 15 years.
Economic and political dominance go hand in hand
China is also expanding its leadership role politically, for instance in international organizations such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Through its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive infrastructure project launched in 2013 by President Xi and which now has 153 signatory states, China is increasingly strengthening its global partnerships.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), SGR high-speed trains in Kenya, and most recently, the development of the Chancay megaport on Peru's coast, are some examples of such cooperation.
China is using this intertwining of economics and politics to create its vision of a new world order for the Global South.
While ideas for public infrastructure projects come up through government consultations, the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) or other Chinese state banks grant loans in line with Beijing's foreign policy goals.
On Monday, SCO leaders also decided to set up a new multilateral development bank.
Meanwhile, concerns persist about these institutions not adhering to international standards when it comes to labor rights and environmental protection.
In many cases, Chinese contractors receive Chinese money and send Chinese workers around the world to carry out the projects. But the partner countries bear the debt burden, with huge negative consequences: The larger their debt load, the greater the obedience to their creditor in Beijing.
Anyone that criticizes China's human rights record in the autonomous region of Tibet or against the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang province, is kicked out. On the other hand, those who recognize Taiwan as a Chinese province are financially rewarded.
'China model' on the road to success
This "China model" is criticized in the West, but is finding more and more supporters in the Global South.
Olusegun Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria, is calling on African countries to learn from the "China model."
China's remarkable progress in recent decades is "a source of inspiration and opportunity for Nigeria and Africa," Obasanjo told China's Xinhua news agency.
Meanwhile, the US, previously the most important donor, stopped almost all of its foreign aid under the Trump administration.
Following the closure of the development agency USAID, US President Donald Trump announced last week that it was slashing $5 billion (€4.3 billion) in foreign aid that was already allocated by US Congress earlier this year.
Reform of 'global governance'
Xi's goal is to "democratize" international relations and oppose "hegemony," says Claus Soong, a researcher at the Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), a Berlin-based think tank. "This approach continuously influences and sharpens China's view of the world. However, it is not rooted in a liberal order or liberal ideas. Its origin lies solely in statism, in national interests."
Diplomats in the Chinese Foreign Ministry are currently forging a master plan with the aim of reforming "global governance," Soong said. This is necessary according to them because global crises are becoming more frequent and international power relations are changing, he added.
Chinese centralism for export?
China expert Sandschneider said he does not believe that Beijing wants to export its own model of government. "The Communist Party, which has ruled alone for more than 70 years, has created its own unique system. I also cannot see China taking concrete steps, as we in the West have repeatedly tried to promote the export of democracy."
He underlined China's policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs. ”China wants what China needs. Above all, that means resources and, nowadays, market access."
MERICS expert Soong said that democracy needs to be defended against both internal and external challenges. "It is threatened when authoritarian regimes expand and demand that we abandon democracy in favor of autocracy."
Europe is preoccupied with itself
Despite the challenges, Europe has limited scope to act.
While the US becomes increasingly unpredictable under Trump, Europe is too preoccupied with itself.
Europe needs to first defend democracy within its own borders, as many EU countries are struggling to keep right-wing extremists from coming to power.
Seven of the 27 EU states already have governments that include right-wing populist parties.
In Germany, the EU's economic powerhouse, there is a clear reorientation towards the East.
Berlin also has strong economic ties with Beijing. Nevertheless, "anyone who really wants to understand our challenge should travel to Asian countries, not just China," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said addressing a party conference at the end of August.
He said there was incredible momentum in the East, "where there is also the ambition to become a world leader, and that includes China."
