2025 Victory Day Parade in Beijing showcased the might of Chinese military and an array of latest high tech military gadgets, demonstrating how far China has come from the days of the great leap backwards and starvation through cultural revolution. Yet the real movers and shakers were neither the leaders watching the Parade nor the military men displaying their discipline and advance machineries. The emotions were stirred up by those watching the parade live on TV from near and afar. Chinese people dropped whatever chores they were doing and glued to the TV to immerse themselves in the destiny of the future of China and bright rays of hope shining over them. Tears dropped from their eyes possibly from the happiness of their nation and their competent leaders having reversed 100 plus years of humiliation. More emotions were visible from the generations who had gone through decades of hardships, poverty and humiliation during the dark decades. Their extreme satisfaction and pleasure were clearly visible on their rugged faces, having witnessed their beloved nation becoming a powerful civilisation once again. The final proof of China forging ahead to possibly become the greatest nation on earth could be found on the tears of 92 years old Taiwanese man, watching the Parade too, from Taipei. He said on TV that he followed Chiang Kai Shek, believing the latter’s words that they (Kuo Min Tang) would eventually retake the mainland China. After he saw the Parade, he said he would not have followed him if he foreseen that China would turn out to be what it is today. The morale of this story is that the style or system of government is not important at all. It is the leadership that counts. Good leadership can transform a country from a third world poverty wreck to a first world republic.
