Letters | What the US should take away from China’s Victory Day parade

Yet the parade also conveyed a different message. The banners declared, “Justice Prevails”, “Peace Prevails” and “The People Prevail.” In his address, President Xi Jinping mentioned the word “peace” at least six times, framing military strength as a safeguard against repeating past tragedies. This juxtaposition of overwhelming firepower and repeated calls for peace encapsulates China’s complicated identity: it seeks respect and security while fearing the return of old humiliations.

Nowhere is this duality more evident than with regard to Taiwan. For Beijing, Taiwan’s status is the most painful reminder of the century of humiliation. The parade suggested that Beijing is preparing for both paths: on the one hand, overwhelming military power that could force reunification by strength; on the other, rhetoric that leaves open the possibility of a peaceful resolution. That openness signals that, despite nationalist fervour, Beijing has not fully succumbed to the shadows of its past.

Chinese displays of military might are not only about competing with Washington; they are also about exorcising historical trauma. If the United States responds only with deterrence and ever tighter alliances, it risks triggering Beijing’s most instinctive and emotional reactions. A more effective strategy would combine credible deterrence with genuine pathways for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.

The parade was more than a show of force. It was a state ritual that revealed how China’s past glory and humiliation continue to shape its present, and its choices about war and peace in the years ahead. Even as missiles rolled past Tiananmen, Beijing left open the possibility that the Taiwan question could yet be settled without war.