US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that China’s “beautiful ceremony” marking the end of World War II should have highlighted the role the United States played in Japan’s defeat. “I thought it was a beautiful ceremony. I thought it was very, very impressive,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, hours after he suggested on social media that foreign leaders meeting in Beijing might be conspiring against the US.
“I watched the speech last night. President Xi is a friend of mine, but I thought that the United States should have been mentioned last night during that speech, because we helped China very, very much.” The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has used the 80th anniversary of the war’s end as a major showcase for his government and its close ties with countries at odds with Washington. Flanked by Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, Xi spoke before a crowd of more than 50,000 spectators at Tiananmen Square. He surveyed a parade of goose-stepping troops and cutting-edge military equipment aimed at deterring would-be adversaries, including the United States.
Japan’s invasion of China in 1937 was a major escalation that led to World War II, and Japan’s surrender in 1945 marked the end of the conflict. The US joined the war in 1941, aiding Chinese forces and playing a decisive role in Japan’s defeat.
On Wednesday, Xi thanked “the foreign governments and international friends who supported and assisted the Chinese people,” but he did not dwell on the role of the United States. US-China relations are at a tense moment, with the two sides at odds on a range of security issues and trade.
However, Trump has repeatedly touted a positive personal relationship with Xi, and has said he might soon meet with him. In a post on Truth Social as the parade kicked off, Trump said, “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against the United States of America.”
