Why Bob Carr is Wrong to Attend Communist China’s Military Parade, By Paul Walker
In early September 2025, former Australian Foreign Minister and New South Wales Premier Bob Carr announced his decision to attend a Chinese military parade in Tiananmen Square, commemorating the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The event, hosted by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and featuring a speech by President Xi Jinping, has also invited controversial figures like Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. While Carr argues his attendance serves Australia's interests by fostering ties with China, his decision is misguided and problematic for several reasons. It risks straining Australia's relationship with Japan, ignores the CCP's historical revisionism, aligns Carr with authoritarian regimes, and undermines Australia's democratic values at a time of heightened geopolitical tension.
One of the most immediate consequences of Carr's attendance is the potential to upset Japan, a key ally of Australia. The Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) was a brutal conflict, and Japan's actions during this period remain a sensitive issue in East Asia. China's framing of the event as the "Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression" emphasises historical grievances, often used by the CCP to stoke nationalism and deflect domestic criticism. By attending, Carr implicitly endorses this narrative, which could be seen as a slight to Japan, a nation Australia has cultivated strong economic and security ties with through agreements like the Quad and the Australia-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement.
Japan is Australia's second-largest trading partner and a critical partner in countering China's regional assertiveness. In 2024, Japan expressed concerns over China's military activities, including the circumnavigation of Australia by Chinese warships, which heightened regional tensions. Carr's presence at an event celebrating a narrative that vilifies Japan, risks signalling to Tokyo that Australia is not a reliable partner. This could weaken diplomatic trust and harm cooperation on issues like maritime security in the South China Sea, where Japan and Australia share concerns about China's expansionism. For a former foreign minister, attending an event that could alienate a key ally, is a diplomatic misstep that prioritises personal ideology over national interest.
Carr's claim that the Chinese victory over Japan is a "historic event worth celebrating," overlooks the CCP's selective retelling of history. The Second Sino-Japanese War saw the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) bear the brunt of the fighting against Japan, suffering massive casualties while the CCP often avoided direct confrontation, focusing instead on consolidating power in rural areas. After Japan's surrender, the CCP leveraged the KMT's weakened state to win the Chinese Civil War, establishing its rule in 1949. The parade's narrative, which glorifies the CCP's role while downplaying the KMT's sacrifices, is less about historical accuracy and more about legitimising the CCP's authority.
By attending, Carr lends credibility to this revisionist history, which the CCP uses to justify its current policies, including aggressive actions in the South China Sea and repression in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. His participation risks signalling to the CCP that Australian figures are willing to endorse its propaganda, potentially emboldening further assertive behaviour.
The guest list for the parade, featuring leaders like Kim Jong Un, raises serious concerns about the company Carr would keep. These figures represent regimes with abysmal human rights records and a history of hostility toward democratic nations, including Australia. North Korea's missile tests threaten global stability, while China's detention of Australian citizen Yang Hengjun and its transnational repression campaigns, including targeting Chinese-Australian communities, directly challenge Australia's sovereignty. Carr's dismissal of concerns about these attendees, comparing the event to a UN General Assembly gathering, is disingenuous. The UN, for all its flaws, is a neutral platform for dialogue; this parade is a choreographed display of CCP power, attended by leaders who share its authoritarian ethos.
Carr's claim that he will "advocate for Australia's interests" while standing alongside these figures, is unconvincing. His presence risks being exploited by the CCP as a propaganda win, portraying Australia as complicit in its narrative of global dominance. This is especially concerning given recent tensions, such as China's cyberattacks on Australian infrastructure and its coercive trade tactics, which have cost Australian exporters billions. For a former foreign minister to attend under these circumstances undermines Australia's stance against such actions and sends mixed signals to both allies and adversaries.
Carr's attendance also clashes with Australia's commitment to democratic values. The Tiananmen Square parade is not just a historical commemoration; it's a showcase of CCP military might, with new weapons like tanks and fighter jets on display. Tiananmen Square itself is a potent symbol of repression, site of the 1989 massacre of pro-democracy protesters. By participating, Carr risks appearing to legitimise a regime that suppresses dissent, censors free speech, and detains citizens like Yang Hengjun without due process. This is particularly jarring given Carr's vocal criticism of Australia's foreign policy, including his opposition to the AUKUS pact, which aims to counter China's military buildup.
Public sentiment in Australia, as reflected in recent polls, shows growing distrust of China, with 70% of Australians viewing it as a security threat. Carr's decision to attend, especially while covering his own expenses to frame it as a personal choice, ignores this sentiment and risks alienating Australians who see China's actions as antithetical to their values.
Bob Carr's decision to attend the CCP's military parade is a mistake that could harm Australia's international standing and domestic cohesion. It risks straining relations with Japan, a vital ally, by endorsing a narrative that inflames historical tensions. It lends credibility to the CCP's revisionist history, ignoring the complexities of the Second Sino-Japanese War. By aligning with authoritarian leaders, Carr undermines Australia's stance against regimes that threaten global stability. And perhaps most critically, his attendance clashes with the democratic values Australians hold dear, especially at a time when trust in China is at a low. While Carr may see his participation as a diplomatic gesture, it sends the wrong message to allies, adversaries, and the Australian public. He should reconsider, prioritising Australia's long-term interests over a symbolic appearance in Beijing.
"The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has extended invitations to former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to commemorate the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the Second Sino-Japanese War.
The program includes a military parade in Tiananmen Square and address by CCP leader Xi Jinping on Sept. 3.
Former New Zealand Prime Ministers Helen Clark and John Key have also been invited.
Also on the invite list, according to remarks from Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei, are dignitaries that have traditionally fostered close ties with the CCP including Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong Un, Vietnam's Luong Cuong, Laos' Thongloun Sisoulith, and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Carr: Attendance Serves Australia's Interests
Labor Party elder Carr, who also served as premier of New South Wales, told the ABC he would be attending.
"The Chinese victory over Japan is a historic event worth celebrating," Carr said.
He dismissed concerns about the presence of leaders from nations not aligned with Australian democratic values, stressing that he would advocate for his country's interests.
"It's in Australia's interest to work for a good relationship with China and I don't apologise for one moment for making my contribution," he said.
Carr added that he would cover his own expenses for the visit.
The invitation follows Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Beijing earlier this year, where he met CCP leader Xi to try strengthen trade ties.
Yet it came amid a backdrop of CCP intimidation with three warships circumnavigating Australia earlier this year, little progress on the detention of academic Yang Hengjun, and a spike in transnational repression in America and Australia.
The Second Sino-Japanese War, which the CCP calls the "Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression" saw the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) unite with the CCP on paper to fight off the Japanese.
However, while the KMT bore the brunt of the fighting (and casualties), the CCP deliberately avoided directly confronting the Japanese, and instead, focused on rebuilding its army and influence in rural China.
When the war ended, the Chinese Civil War would start up once again, with the CCP taking advantage of the weakened KMT eventually securing control over China."
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