The weapons and military units on display in China's major parade

New units and equipment

Marching in the parade were traditional People's Liberation Army units from the navy and army, but also new ones like the cyberspace unit. The new unit is in charge of cybersecurity defense measures, according to the official Xinhua news agency, and also participated in live-fire drills.

Another debut was the information support force, created in 2024 to build network information systems to support military combat readiness.

Much of the weaponry and equipment in the parade was being shown to the public for the first time, according to Chinese military officials. This included hypersonic missiles designed to take out ships at sea. These weapons are of particular concern to the U.S. Navy, which patrols the western Pacific from its 7th Fleet headquarters in Japan.

Also shown were underwater drones including the AJX002, a long, black tube-shaped craft that looks like a narrow submarine with a rear propeller, and a new intercontinental ballistic missile, the DF-61, which could carry nuclear warheads to distant targets.

Others included land, sea and air-based strategic weapons, advanced precision warfare equipment and drones. Warplanes and helicopters flew in formation in the skies overhead.

It's the first major military parade in China since 2019 on the 70th anniversary of the founding of communist China.

The parade aimed to instill pride in China's populace and assure them that the country is strong enough to ward off any attack. But China's growing military strength also concerns its Asian neighbors and the United States.

Russia and North Korea headline guest list

U.S. and Western European heads of state are staying away, as are the leaders of Japan, India and South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made a rare foreign trip to attend. He was joined by Russian President Vladimir Putin and the president of Iran, among others.

In all, about two dozen foreign leaders attended, including several from Southeast Asia and a few from Africa and South Asia. Indonesia President Prabowo Subianto arrived early Wednesday after being delayed by protests in his country over lawmakers' perks.

Parade mainly for invited guests

The event was highly choreographed and tightly controlled. It wasn't the kind of parade where crowds line the streets to watch.

Barriers were set up to keep the public one block away and commercial buildings along the parade route were emptied and closed until the parade ended. The subway system running along Chang'An Avenue was shut Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

For most people, the only way to watch was on television or a livestream.

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AP writer Huizhong Wu contributed to this report.