By Ethan Evans

Copyright irishmirror

China has at last broken its silence regarding its Victory Day military parade which sparked global concern after Beijing displayed an array of ballistic missiles, laser weaponry, and nuclear-capable systems.

The ceremony, held last week, marked the 80th anniversary of the formal conclusion of World War II in the Pacific.

Overseen by leader Xi Jinping and witnessed by representatives from more than 20 nations worldwide – including Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un – the People’s Liberation Army demonstrated the advances it has achieved towards its objective of establishing a ‘world-class’ military by mid-century.

Numerous worries have emerged following the parade, particularly from the Pentagon who are especially concerned about China’s growing missile arsenal and nuclear stockpile.

Alexander Neil, a Singapore-based analyst, said: “For all the operational questions that surround some of these new elements, China was sending a message of technological advance and military strength on all fronts-there is indeed a lot for rival defense planners to get their heads around.”, reports the Daily Record.

China stands as one of merely four nations, alongside the US, Russia and India, to possess a complete nuclear triad, placing third worldwide in total warheads. However, experts have pointed out that many of the systems displayed at the parade, such as three silo-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (the DF-5C, DF-31BJ, and DF-61), new types of drones and more, remain untested in combat, with China’s last full-scale conflict dating back to 1979 against Vietnam.

“(The military technology) demonstrated the comprehensive combat capabilities of the PLA in realistic training and exercises,” stated Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Wu Qian.

“Their appearance shows that our capabilities for defence are improving, but our strategic intention has not changed. We will never seek hegemony, never engage in expansion, never initiate aggression.”

He also stressed that the parade was “not targeted at any specific country” and that a strong Chinese military promotes peaceful development.

China’s stockpile of nuclear warheads has seen significant growth in recent years, with estimates suggesting they reached 600 earlier this year, more than double its count in 2019.

Despite concerns about World War 3, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy previously told Newsweek: “China abides by the policy of no first use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances and at any time, and commits unconditionally not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones.”