Summary
- Trump said China’s WWII ceremony was “magnificent” but missed the U.S. role.
- He noted America’s crucial support in defeating Japan in WWII.
- Trump criticized China for not acknowledging U.S. sacrifices during war.
- Urged Xi Jinping to recognize American contribution in speech.
A request for comment was not immediately answered by the Chinese embassy in Washington.
"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 U.S.
“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 80th anniversary of the end of the war has been used by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a key platform to highlight his government's close ties with nations that disagree with Washington.
Speaking in front of over 50,000 people in Tiananmen Square, Xi was flanked by Kim Jong Un of North Korea and Vladimir Putin of Russia. He looked over a procession of giddy soldiers and state-of-the-art military hardware meant to stave off potential enemies, notably the US.
"The foreign governments and international friends who supported and assisted the Chinese people,"
an official said, were praised by Xi on Wednesday. However, he didn't focus on America's involvement in the conflict.
The relationship between the US and China is strained right now. The two sides are fighting for a broad trade agreement to avoid tariffs on each other's goods and are at odds on a number of security matters, ranging from the South China Sea to Ukraine.
However, Trump has frequently praised his good personal ties with Xi, which his advisers claim can help guide the two biggest economies in the world in a favorable way. He has also hinted that he and Xi may meet shortly.
In a post directed at Xi 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."
The Kremlin said the comments were humorous and denied any conspiracy.
Why did President Trump say the parade should have highlighted the U.S. role in Japan's defeat?
President Donald Trump said the Chinese parade should have acknowledged the role the U.S. played in Japan's defeat, because the United States had a major role in helping China achieve its freedom from Japanese violence during World War II (WWII). He said this after watching China’s large military parade in Beijing celebrating the 80th anniversary of Japan's defeat.
He stated the parade was a “beautiful ceremony” and was “very, very impressive,” but felt it neglected or downplayed the enormous sacrifice and support of the U.S. to China during the war.
Trump stated that thousands of Americans lost their lives in helping China win and achieve its liberation, and this should have been acknowledged.