CHINA’S Victory Parade on Sept 3 (pic) was more than pageantry; it was a warning shot about the future of war. With cyber, space and information warfare now centre stage, Malaysia must turn to its greatest strength – defence diplomacy.
Our ability to build trust, balance powers and shape regional security will determine whether South-east Asia remains stable amid intensifying rivalry.
The parade held in Beijing was more than a spectacle of power. It was a statement, a declaration that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is no longer simply modernising; it is also redefining warfare itself.
For Malaysia and Asean, the lesson is unmistakable – the battlefield of tomorrow will extend far beyond land, sea and air. It will be fought in cyberspace, outer space and the invisible realm of information.
The response must not be passivity but strategy and, above all, defence diplomacy.
For the first time, China showcased three new branches. The Information Support Force, the Cyberspace Force, and the Aerospace Force. These are not symbolic formations.
They signal the elevation of data and algorithms, satellites and electronic warfare to the same status as tanks, ships and aircraft.
China’s message is clear; victory will belong to those who dominate information, not just territory. It is a pivot from platform-centric power to information-centric warfare, an approach that mirrors Nato and US doctrines of multi-domain operations.
Military parades are theatre, but in Beijing theatre is strategy. To its people, China portrays: “We are secure and advanced.” To Washington, it signals: “We can fight across every domain.”
To its neighbours, the message is unmistakable: “We are no longer only a regional power; we are a global power.”
Malaysia can draw at least three key lessons from this signal. First, cyber and space resilience must become national priorities. Our financial systems, communications and power grids remain exposed to sophisticated cyberattacks.
Satellites and networks are potential first targets in any conflict. The upcoming Second Phase of Defence White Paper (2026 – 2030) must treat cyber and space security as essential pillars of national defence.
Second, strategic balancing has become a non-negotiable requirement.
Malaysia cannot afford to be ensnared in a great power rivalry, but we also cannot afford to remain silent. Defence diplomacy has emerged as a fundamental strategy. Engaging China, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others is the instrument that protects our sovereignty and Asean’s neutrality.
Third, innovation in defence is an urgent imperative. The National Defence Industry Policy (DIPN) and Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP) must prioritise dual-use technologies such as artificial intelligence, drones, cybersecurity solutions and satellite applications. Without innovation, resilience will remain out of reach.
The lesson from Beijing is not that Malaysia should embark on an arms race. It is that we must strengthen defence diplomacy as the first line of security. Defence diplomacy is about building trust with partners, engaging competitors with clarity, and using dialogue to prevent miscalculation.
It means engaging in joint exercises, officer exchanges, technology collaboration and transparent communication.
For our country, it also means positioning ourselves as a bridge, a country trusted enough to convene conversations between rivals, but firm enough to defend our national interests.
China’s parade revealed a military ready to fight across every domain. But Malaysia’s strength does not lie in matching missile for missile. Our strength lies in building coalitions, shaping norms and leading through diplomacy.
The real contest of this century is not only about who parades the largest arsenal but who builds the most resilient, cooperative and stable security architecture. That is the contest where Malaysia, through defence diplomacy, must lead.
Rehearsal footage released by China Central Television (CCTV) of the upcoming V-Day military parade. Photo: screenshot of CCTV
The Tiananmen Square and Chang'an Avenue in Beijing are ready to host the grand ceremony on September 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. On Monday, China Central Television (CCTV) revealed the specific arrangements for this event.
The grand event includes a 70-minute military parade. The parade is an institutionalized arrangements for national commemorative parades, and key component of the commemorative activities, carrying significant political and historical importance, per the CCTV report.
The military parade is conducted in two steps: a military review and a march-past.
In the military review part, the troops will line up along the Chang'an Avenue, to receive review from President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. During the parade march-past, airborne flag-guarding echelons, foot formations, battle flag formations, armament columns and aerial echelons will pass through or fly across Tiananmen Square in order.
A total of 45 formations and echelons will be involved in the parade.
The airborne flag-guarding echelons, composed of multiple helicopter types in various formations, will lead the parade. By escorting the flags, forming symbolic characters, and displaying banners, the echelons will reflect the nation's growing prosperity and the military's continuous development under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, proclaiming to the world the great truth of the inevitable victory of justice, peace, and the people, according to the CCTV report.
Foot formations will reflect "an old and a new," the report said. The "old" refers to veteran units from the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, with personnel primarily drawn from units descended from the Eighth Route Army, New Fourth Army, Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, South China guerrilla forces, and militias from provinces with wartime revolutionary bases. The "new" reflects the modern structure of military forces, including the "three-in-one" system of armed forces.
The battle flag formations represent the heroic legacy forged in the flames of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. From countless heroes and numerous meritorious flags, a selection of representative flags from different periods, regions, and units has been chosen. These flags, carried by personnel from their respective units, symbolize the enduring spirit of the war, reflecting the people's armed forces' fearless resolve and forward momentum in the face of challenges, per the report.
The armament columns are organized into combat groups based on real combat scenarios, including ground combat, maritime combat, air and missile defense, information warfare, unmanned combat, logistics support, and strategic strike groups. Many of these feature cutting-edge equipment representing the evolution of modern warfare, including some critical national assets, fully demonstrating the People's Liberation Army's formidable capabilities to triumph in modern conflicts.
The aerial echelons, organized in a modular and systematic manner, will consist of advanced early warning and command aircraft, fighters, bombers, transport planes, and more, covering nearly all active main combat aircraft types of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Many are high-profile "star" equipment, with some making their public debut, fully showcasing the leapfrog development of the PLA's air combat capabilities.
What's more, over 1,000 personnel will form the largest joint military band in the history of parades of the People's Republic of China, performing in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes on Tiananmen Square, per the CCTV report.
The band will play well-known classic songs from the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, evoking memories of that arduous era and honoring the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for national independence and freedom. New compositions reflecting contemporary themes and the vigor of a strong military will also be performed for the first time in Tiananmen Square.
Smoke billows in the distance from an oil refinery following an Israeli strike on the Iranian capital Tehran. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP)
WASHINGTON/DUBAI/JERUSALEM: President Donald Trump called on Tuesday for Iran's unconditional surrender and warned US patience was wearing thin, but said there was no intention to kill Iran's leader "for now", as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth day.
Explosions were reported in Tehran and the city of Isfahan in central Iran, while Israel said Iran fired more missiles late on Tuesday and early Wednesday. Air raid sirens sounded in southern and central Israel, and explosions were heard over Tel Aviv. The Israeli military said it had conducted strikes on 12 missile launch sites and storage facilities in Tehran.
Trump's comments, delivered via social media, suggested a more aggressive stance toward Iran as he weighs whether to deepen US involvement.
"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding," he wrote on Truth Social. "We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now... Our patience is wearing thin."
Three minutes later, he posted, "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!"
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei could face the same fate as Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was toppled in a US-led invasion and hanged in 2006 after a trial.
"I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and fire missiles at Israeli citizens," Katz told top Israeli military officials.
Trump's sometimes contradictory and cryptic messaging about the conflict between close US ally Israel and longtime foe Iran has deepened the uncertainty surrounding the crisis. His public comments have ranged from military threats to diplomatic overtures — not uncommon for a president known for an often erratic approach to foreign policy.
Trump said on Monday that he might send US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet Iranian officials. The president said his early departure from the Group of Seven nations summit in Canada had "nothing to do" with working on a ceasefire deal, and that something "much bigger" was expected.
Britain's leader Keir Starmer said there was no indication the US was about to enter the conflict.
Trump met for 90 minutes with his National Security Council on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the conflict, a White House official said. Details were not immediately available.
The US is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, three US officials told Reuters. The move follows other deployments that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described as defensive in nature. The US has so far only taken defensive actions in the current conflict with Iran, including helping to shoot down missiles fired toward Israel.
Women react as they check the destruction in the northern Arab-Israeli city of Tamra. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)
Regional Influence Weakens
Khamenei's main military and security advisers have been killed by Israeli strikes, hollowing out his inner circle and raising the risk of strategic errors, according to five people familiar with his decision-making process.
The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had killed Iran's wartime chief of staff Ali Shadmani, four days after he replaced another top commander killed in the strikes.
With Iranian leaders suffering their most dangerous security breach since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the country's cybersecurity command banned officials from using communications devices and mobile phones, Fars news agency reported.
Israel launched a "massive cyber war" against Iran's digital infrastructure, Iranian media reported.
Ever since Iran-backed Hamas attacked Israel on Oct 7, 2023, and triggered the Gaza war, Khamenei's regional influence has waned as Israel has pounded Iran's proxies — from Hamas in Gaza to Hizbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen and militias in Iraq. Iran's close ally, Syria's autocratic president Bashar al-Assad, has been ousted.
Israel launched its air war — its largest ever on Iran — on Friday after saying it had concluded the Islamic Republic was on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon.
Iran denies seeking nuclear weapons and has pointed to its right to nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, including enrichment, as a party to the international Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Israel, which is not a party to the NPT, is the only country in the Middle East believed to have nuclear weapons. Israel does not deny or confirm that.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stressed that he will not back down until Iran's nuclear development is disabled, while Trump says the Israeli assault could end if Iran agrees to strict curbs on enrichment.
Before Israel's attack began, the 35-nation board of governors of the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in almost 20 years.
The IAEA said on Tuesday an Israeli strike directly hit the underground enrichment halls at the Natanz facility.
The Iranian news website Eghtesadonline, which covers economic news, reported on Tuesday that Iran arrested a foreigner for filming "sensitive" areas at the Bushehr nuclear power plant for Israel's spy agency Mossad.
People take cover inside a cable car tunnel following a missile attack from Iran on Israel, at Haifa, Israel June 17, 2025. REUTERS/Itay Cohen
Iranian security forces also arrested a "terrorist team" linked to Israel with explosives in a town southwest of the capital Tehran, Iranian state media reported.
Oil Markets on Alert
Israel says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days.
But Israel will struggle to deal a knock-out blow to deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordow, which is dug beneath a mountain, without the US joining the attack. Israel's Katz said Fordow was an issue that will be addressed.
Iran has so far fired nearly 400 ballistic missiles and hundreds of drones towards Israel, with about 35 missiles penetrating Israel's defensive shield, Israeli officials say.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they hit Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate and the foreign intelligence service Mossad's operational centre early on Tuesday. There was no Israeli confirmation.
Iranian officials have reported 224 deaths, mostly civilians, while Israel said 24 civilians had been killed. Residents of both countries have been evacuated or fled.
Global oil markets are on high alert following strikes on sites including the world's biggest gas field, South Pars, shared by Iran and Qatar.
As a country with special influence over Israel, the US should particularly adopt an objective and impartial stance, take due responsibility, and play a positive and constructive role in de-escalating tensions and preventing the conflict from further expanding.
Model of a J-10CE fighter jet is on display at the booth of China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation at the 17th edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2025) held in Langkawi, Malaysia on May 20, 2025. Photo: Screenshot from the military channel of China Central Television
China is displaying a selection of its top aviation products including the J-10CE and FC-31 fighter jets at an international defense expo that kicked off on Tuesday in Malaysia, with a Chinese expert saying that Chinese military aircraft and their associated systems could become good choices for potential international buyers.
The 17th edition of the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2025) kicked off in Langkawi, Malaysia on Tuesday, with defense and associated companies from around the globe eyeing a higher profile in Asia's defense sector, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.
China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) brought models of the J-10CE fighter jet and the FC-31 fighter jet to the expo, the military channel of China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday.
Many visitors gathered at the CATIC booth to see these two models, according to the CCTV report.
Recently, China's made-for-export J-10CE fighter jet has been under the spotlight, with major media outlets having focused on the news that the J-10CE has recently achieved its first real combat success.
Fu Qianshao, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that the J-10CE is a combat-proven warplane. With advanced avionics and radar systems plus the PL-15E missile, the aircraft has strong beyond-visual-range combat capabilities.
Displaying a model of the J-10CE at the LIMA 2025 showed China's willingness to promote the export of the aircraft. With the J-10CE being a top-class fighter jet, many countries could consider procuring to modernize their warplane fleet, Fu said.
Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times that the J-10 series fighter jet has also been widely deployed by the Chinese military, which adds to the aircraft's reliability.
Besides the fourth-generation fighter jet J-10, China is also offering the fifth-generation fighter jet FC-31. It is more and more likely that Chinese defense products will gain a greater share in the international market in the future, Wang said.
In addition to the J-10CE and the FC-31 fighter jets, the Chinese booth also displayed models of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft, the Y-9 tactical transport aircraft, the Z-10 attack helicopter and the Z-9 multirole helicopter, the CCTV report showed. Fu said that China is exhibiting complete systems of aviation equipment, including different genres of aircraft of different sizes and purposes. They can meet the different demands of potential international buyers, who can choose from the Chinese products based on their needs.
It also showed that China's aviation industry is developing in all directions, offering all types of products, Fu said.
The LIMA 2025 is scheduled to last until Saturday. Organized biennially, the exhibition features 860 exhibitors representing various sectors in maritime and aerospace. They will be joined by 140 delegates from 46 countries and regions, including heads of military, enforcement agencies and other government officials, according to the organizer, Xinhua reported.
At the ongoing Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2025) in Malaysia, global aviation powers are showcasing their top-tier equipment. The J-10CE fighter jet, the export variant of the J-10C, took the center stage at the Chinese booth, shortly following its remarkable debut in real combat, captivating international visitors and military analysts who were eager to observe the aircraft
