Good evening—

Beijing’s 80th-anniversary V-Day parade was less commemoration than calibrated deterrence. Xi Jinping, flanked by Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, rolled out the People’s Liberation Army’s full nuclear triad—air-launched Jinglei-1, sea-based Julang-3 and land-based Dongfeng-61/31/5C—and paraded DF-17 hypersonic missiles capable of manoeuvring past existing U.S. interceptors. Reuters called it China’s “biggest-ever” display; AP highlighted new drone and laser systems; the Financial Times underscored lasers and microwaves aimed at swarming threats.(reuters.com, apnews.com, ft.com)

This is not mere optics. China’s defence budget has doubled in real terms since 2015, while the U.S. Congress fights over keeping its own government open. By exhibiting a survivable second-strike force, Beijing seeks to neutralise Washington’s extended-deterrence assurances to allies—raising the price of any future Taiwan or South China Sea intervention and nudging Asian middle powers toward hedging rather than alignment.

Historically, rapid military catch-up—think Wilhelmian Germany—has destabilised order when rivals dismiss signalling as swagger. Ignoring the data risks repeating that error. As Anne-Marie Slaughter reminds us, “Power lies in the networks we fail to see.” The parade just mapped one in daylight.

The Gist AI Editor

Beijing’s Tech-Fueled Military Ascent

China showcased an array of advanced, domestically produced weaponry at a massive military parade in Beijing, signaling a significant leap in its technological and military capabilities (Bloomberg, FT). The parade, commemorating the end of World War II, featured the public debut of sophisticated systems designed to project power and deter intervention. The message is clear: Beijing is rapidly closing the technology gap with the West, emphasizing asymmetric advantages through innovation in areas where it can leapfrog established military doctrines. This display underscores a strategic focus on indigenous development to secure its regional interests.

Unveiling Asymmetric Capabilities

Among the new hardware were large autonomous sea vehicles, the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile—dubbed a “carrier killer”—and directed-energy laser weapons (Bloomberg). Also displayed were new intercontinental ballistic missiles, like the DF-61, and a range of AI-enabled drones, including unmanned combat aircraft designed to fly alongside piloted jets (CBS News). This focus on hypersonic and autonomous systems represents a direct challenge to conventional naval power, aiming to create a formidable anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) bubble in the Pacific.

US Reassures NATO’s Eastern Flank

In a contrasting but related development, President Donald Trump affirmed the US commitment to European security, pledging that American troops will remain in Poland (Politico.eu). Meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, Trump stated troops would “be staying in Poland” and even suggested the possibility of increasing their numbers. This move aims to reassure a key NATO ally on the front lines of a resurgent Russia, signaling that despite a broader strategic pivot to Asia, the US maintains its core security guarantees in Europe.

The Geopolitics of Force Projection

The day’s events highlight a dual reality: a rising power leveraging technology to reshape its sphere of influence, and an established power reinforcing traditional alliances. China’s parade was a deliberate display of hard power, attended by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un—a symbolic gathering of leaders challenging the US-led order (Bloomberg). Meanwhile, Trump’s comments in Washington underscore the persistent value of military presence as the ultimate security backstop for allies. The intersection of advanced technology and strategic deployment continues to define the global security landscape.

Stay tuned for the next Gist—your edge in a shifting world.

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Sourcing or Distortion?

Italy is advancing its first auction for photovoltaic projects mandating non-Chinese principal components, a direct implementation of the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) aimed at bolstering supply chain resilience (Ansa, pv magazine). The “FER X Transitorio” decree requires key parts like modules, cells, and inverters to originate outside China for a reserved portion of new solar capacity. This marks a tangible step in Europe’s pivot from absolute cost-efficiency towards strategic autonomy in critical green technologies. From my perspective, while diversifying away from a single authoritarian supplier is prudent risk management, leveraging state-run auctions to enforce it blurs the line between sensible de-risking and managed trade. The critical question is whether this fosters genuine market competition among new suppliers or simply anoints a new set of protected manufacturers, potentially at a higher cost to Italian energy consumers. (Ansa).

The Digital Panopticon

Nigel Farage, testifying before the U.S. Congress, warned that the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) has fostered an “awful authoritarian situation” and risks damaging transatlantic trade (Politico). The act, which became law in late 2023 and is now being implemented, imposes a legal duty of care on platforms to protect users, particularly children, from illegal and harmful content. Farage’s intervention aims to highlight how European content moderation laws could impact American free speech and innovation. His critique underscores a fundamental tension: the state’s impulse to regulate online discourse versus the foundational principle of free expression. As platforms face fines up to 10% of global turnover for non-compliance, the incentive structure leans heavily towards preemptive censorship, creating a chilling effect that extends far beyond illegal content (JD Supra).

Catch the next Gist for the continent’s moving pieces.

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