By Daniel Smith-EL,Ethan Evans

Copyright walesonline

China has finally 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 official conclusion of World War II in the Pacific. Led by President 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 advancement it has achieved towards its objective of establishing a ‘world-class’ military force by mid-century. Multiple anxieties have emerged following the parade, particularly from the Pentagon who are especially concerned about China’s growing missile arsenal and nuclear stockpile, reports the Daily Record . Alexander Neil, a Singapore-based expert, commented: “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.” China stands as one of merely four nations, alongside the US, Russia and India, to possess a complete nuclear triad, holding third place globally in total warheads. Analysts have noted that many of the systems displayed at the parade, including three silo-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (the DF-5C, DF-31BJ, and DF-61), new types of drones and more, remain untested in combat. China’s last full-scale conflict dates back to 1979 against Vietnam. Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson, Wu Qian, responded by saying, “(The military technology) demonstrated the comprehensive combat capabilities of the PLA in realistic training and exercises. “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 encourages 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 fears of 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.”