China rolled out the tanks, the missiles, and the marching troops down Beijing’s historic Changan Avenue today — but this was no ordinary parade.

Marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II, President Xi Jinping took center stage, flanked by none other than Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.

Beyond the pageantry, the symbolism was loud and clear: this was a show of power and politics on the global stage.

So what message was China trying to send — and how should the rest of the world be reading it?

On The Big Story, Hongbin Jeong speaks with Professor Lim Tai Wei, East Asian Expert, Soka University, to find out more.