Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrive at a military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender. (Sergei Bobylev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo)
You probably didn’t get to attend the actual parade, because it took place in Beijing, China. But you can view all 6 hours and 16 minutes on YouTube, courtesy of CNBC.
The parade marched down Chang’an Avenue on September 3, 2025, to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Over 12,000 troops of the People’s Liberation Army participated in the parade, and a total of 26 world leaders joined Chinese President Xi Jinping in witnessing the event, including guests of honor Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
The event began with the release of hundreds of doves. “The Doves of Peace”.
The parade, however, featured mostly advanced military weapons.
Music is provided by the Central Military Band of the PLA and hundreds of talented singers, and included such favorites as “Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China”, “Military Anthem of the People’s Liberation Army”, “March of Unmanned Intelligent Victory” and “Go to the Enemy’s Rear”.
(The song titles above are, of course, English translations and may not be entirely accurate.)
You can find a list of the featured military equipment on this webpage.
The video clip that intrigued me more than the six-hour parade video, however, was only 39 seconds long.
It shows President Xi, President Putin, and Supreme Leader Kim — and miscellaneous foreign dignitaries — on their way to the viewing platform. Apparently, they were not aware that the video crew was also recording audio.
As they approached the rostrum, Putin’s interpreter is heard saying, in Chinese: “Biotechnology is continuously developing. Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and [you can] even achieve immortality.”
As the camera switched to an aerial shot of the parade site, Xi can be heard responding: “Some predict that in this century, humans may live to 150 years old.”
Seems to me, there’s a significant difference between “achieving immortality” and “living to be 150 years old.”
But even 150 years old is a damn sight better than what a lot of soldiers in Ukraine achieved. Or in Afghanistan, for that matter.
On the other hand, what else would you talk about, if you were an authoritarian dictator in charge of a country of 1.4 billion people (China) or 142 million people (Russia) and if you hoped to remain dictator for the rest of your life?
You’d be discussing how to live forever.
In a weird way, the conversation brought to mind that great scene at the beginning of Pulp Fiction, where the two assassins played by Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta are driving through Los Angeles on their way to kill a dishonest business partner, and they’re talking about the food at McDonalds.
Travolta: “And you know what they call a quarter pounder with cheese in Paris?”
Jackson: “They don’t call it a quarter pounder with cheese?”
Travolta: “No, man. They got the metric system. They wouldn’t know what the fuck a quarter pounder is.”
Jackson: “Then what do they call it?”
Travolta: “They call it a ‘Royale with Cheese’.
Jackson: [Smiling] ‘Royale with Cheese’.
Travolta: “That’s right.”
Five minutes later, they were shooting people dead.
I can totally imagine Putin and Xi having that identical conversation. If they were assassins, I mean.
But since they are the leaders of the world’s two largest Communist countries, it makes sense that they would be discussing continuously-transplanted organs. The longer you live, the younger you become.
And not only the leaders. Everyone will be rejuvenated, apparently. It’s unstoppable.
From the official Chinese government website, Gov.cn, on September 3, 2025. (The day of the parade.)
The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable and humanity’s cause of peace and development will prevail, said President Xi Jinping on Wednesday.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at a gathering held in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Xi called on Chinese people of all ethnic groups to stay united and work hard under the strong leadership of the CPC to build a strong country and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.
In a thoughtful post on Truth Social, U.S. President Trump wrote: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America.”
President Trump has been talking an awful lot, lately, about whether or not he will get into heaven. Joking about it, really.
During his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast earlier this month, the President mused, “I just don’t think I qualify. I don’t think there’s a thing I can do.”
I’m worried that the joke might be getting old. Like him. He closed the Prayer Breakfast speech with a quote from Matthew 5:8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
He then added, “I don’t know if that applies to me necessarily. I’m not so sure… I try.”
I’d feel more comfortable if our President were joking about living forever.
Underrated writer Louis Cannon grew up in the vast American West, although his ex-wife, given the slightest opportunity, will deny that he ever grew up at all. You can read more stories on his Substack account.