China's Display of Power

The day in which China will hold their biggest military parade of the year. This might as well be some kind of message towards the world’s superpowers, specially the USA. The message? That China has enough military prowess to defend their interests at home and abroad.

The parade is being held to commemorate the 60^th aniversary of the People’s Republic of China. However, a preview of the parade was held a week ago to show the citizens a glimpse of what’s to come on October the 1^st.

Intercontinental DF-31 nuclear missiles, short-range DF-11 and DF-15 missiles, YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, and DH-10 long-range cruise missiles were amongst the short display. Even though they were not seen, J-10 jet fighters are expected to fly above Tiananmen Square on the day of the anniversary.

“The exercise is aimed at not only showing the Chinese people some of the symbols of China’s new great power status, but also showing foreigners that policies based on the presumption of Chinese weakness must be changed,” said Denny Roy.

Even though it is officially stated by the Chinese government that this display is merely to boost the patriotism of the nation, some people know better than that. Since there are some territorial disputes between China and the USA, with USA sending surveillance missions to the Chinese coast to check on Taiwan (a self-governing island, but an island which China considers part of their territory), this might just be the right moment for Chinese to display what they got. There are also disputes between China, Japan, Vietnam, and other nations; this will back them off for a while.

“Obviously, Taiwan and Japan are going to feel this, and perhaps even U.S. forces in Guam, Okinawa, and perhaps even Hawaii,” said Richard Bitzinger, a senior fellow at Singapore’s Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

Miguel C.