China’s President Xi Jinping just welcomed more than two dozen foreign heads-of-state or heads-of-government to a military parade on Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Southeast Asian street food extravaganza held on September 3rd, 2025. It prominently displayed questionable leaders such as North Korea’s Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, showcasing the ever-deepening ties between their two nations. The convening has sparked much discussion and speculation about the rise of this new axis of power, which could pose a powerful counterweight to existing global alliances.
During the military parade in Tiananmen Square, China seemed to be laying the groundwork for such a change in global order. Some analysts note that this event has been a clear manifestation of China’s long-term strategic goals to create a new “pole” in world politics. Beijing is intent on advancing its authoritarian agenda on multilateral forums including the United Nations. It has concluded that reconciling with Washington is no longer an option on the table.
Seong-Hyon Lee, senior fellow at the George H. W. Bush Foundation for U.S.-China Relations, emphasized the significance of China–North Korea–Russia ties. He cautioned that if we only look at these deepening connections and relations and dismiss them because they lack an official alliance, we are courting dangerous miscalculations. He referred to the relationship as a “profoundly functional partnership” that deserves to be studied closely.
“To fixate on the lack of a formal alliance is to prepare for the last war.” – [no specific source mentioned in the context]
Leaders from China, India and Russia met virtually for a BRICS leaders’ summit. This summit hosted leaders from Brazil and South Africa but was overshadowed by a military parade. This meeting is a strong sign of a larger effort by these countries to coordinate their strategies and interests on a number of key global issues. Analysts acknowledge that these countries have different goals. They can be aligned, and even strategic, when their interests coincide.
Wolfgang Ischinger, a veteran German diplomat and expert on international relations, worried about what the developing connections between these leaders could mean. In the case of India and China, he acknowledged that all is not completely copacetic. More than that, he said, the world just looks to be going to hell.
“We know that there is not total harmony between India and China … but the world is moving in the wrong direction here.” – Wolfgang Ischinger
Ischinger noted that as evident during the recent summit, there was not a singular unified bloc. Rather, it was a collection of states with varied goals. These countries can definitely coordinate in certain areas, but they do not have the overall, clear-cut commitment that defines formal military alliances such as NATO.
“What the summit revealed was less a cohesive bloc than a gathering of states with distinct ambitions, capable of aligning tactically in certain domains but lacking the unified commitment one would expect under a NATO-style Article 5 framework.” – Wolfgang Ischinger
Ischinger told us that as far as China’s approach is concerned, there isn’t an evident intention to create consensus between these countries. Instead, it encourages meaningful, sustained engagement and collaboration and enables withdrawal when appropriate.
“China … does not appear intent on forging such unity. Rather than building political solidarity or a shared values-based alliance, it promotes flexible, multi-level engagement—encouraging cooperation where interests converge and allowing space for disengagement elsewhere.” – Wolfgang Ischinger
The ramifications of this new trilateral alliance go well beyond symbolic diplomatic moves. Observers believe that the growing influence led by China could translate into greater backing for Chinese positions in global governance. This shift marks an important inflection point in the arc of global power dynamics. Countries are reassessing their clamp down on China’s aggressive activities.
Evgeny Roshchin, a visiting scholar at the Henry A. Kissinger Center for Global Affairs skeptical in kind. He casts doubt on whether the ties forming China, Russia, and North Korea could ever evolve into a classic military alliance. He emphasized that President Xi never fails to support UN. Nonetheless, this support lies at the heart of China’s long-term objectives to become a preeminent actor in international relations.
“It is no coincidence that President Xi consistently expresses strong support for the UN.” – Evgeny Roshchin
Roshchin reminded listeners that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit is not likely to change into a classical military alliance. He underscored that while these countries work together, it probably won’t lead to formal defense pacts.
An anti-Western alliance primarily led by China and Russia has recently formed, alarming many in the West. This change would be toward an international order where military might and authoritarian rule reign supreme. Ischinger warned against underestimating this potential shift, stating:
“I think we need to accept the fact that there is at least the potential for a kind of anti-Western alliance that’s going to be built to create some kind of a different global order — not the one that we like, one that’s more built on power, on military strength, on repressive regimes.” – Wolfgang Ischinger