Beijing, September 03, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto attended China’s Victory Day military parade in Beijing on Wednesday at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, joining a number of world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
President Prabowo arrived in Beijing at 4:15 a.m. local time and proceeded to Tiananmen Square for the parade, which began at 9 a.m. He took his seat on the honorary platform shortly after 8 a.m., positioned beside President Putin, with President Xi, Chairman Kim, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and other distinguished guests nearby.
The large-scale parade showcased a wide array of China’s new-generation military capabilities, including tanks, aircraft, reconnaissance drones, hypersonic anti-ship missiles, and air defense systems, reflecting the country’s growing defense posture. Units from China’s Army, Navy, Air Force, Rocket Force, Aerospace Force, Cyberspace Force, Information Support Force, and Joint Logistics Support Force participated in the event.
According to the Chinese government, 26 heads of state and government were invited to the ceremony. Among those in attendance were Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Nepalese Prime Minister Sharma Oli.
Southeast Asian representation included Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni, Vietnam’s President To Lam, Laos’ President Thongloun Sisoulith, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and Myanmar’s acting president Min Aung Hlaing, alongside President Prabowo.
President Prabowo’s visit comes after earlier deliberations on whether to proceed with the trip, which also includes participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. Initially, Foreign Minister Sugiono had been designated to represent Indonesia at the SCO meeting held from August 31 to September 1.
However, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi confirmed late Tuesday that the President decided to continue with the visit after assessing that domestic conditions had stabilized. “To maintain strong ties with China, the President agreed to travel tonight and return the next evening,” Minister Prasetyo stated.
