Anyone depending on legacy network news for coverage of China’s military parade, honoring the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, might have thought they were watching Chinese state media. Among these, CBS was the most effusive in their ChiCom suck-uppery.
Watch as CBS’s China correspondent Anna Coren does her best to sound like she’s at Xinhua, as she hails the “global order changing before our very eyes”:
ANNA COREN: Overseeing his troops under a blazing sun, China’s President Xi Jinping was looking to project the image of a man fulfilling his destiny. "Greetings, comrades. You are working hard”, he tells them. Hosting China's largest-ever military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Xi was front and center. Flanked by his powerful allies and neighbors, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
What we are witnessing here in Beijing is the global order changing before our very eyes. China, Russia, and North Korea showing solidarity against the West, directly challenging the U.S.-led world order.
This is not Coren’s first run at pro-CCP sycophancy. She was similarly servile when covering the “National People’s Congress”:
ANNA COREN: A show of strength outside the Great Hall of the People, as soldiers from the People's Liberation Army marched across Tiananmen Square adorned with flags. They are part of the almost 3,000 delegates who arrived in Beijing for the opening of the National People's Congress, China's most important political event of the year.
…
As President XI watched on, his deputy delivered his address. While China faces economic challenges, its leadership says it won't back down. This confident posture defined Beijing's cold spring weather and the geopolitical storm clouds that are forming.
Coren kept her jaw off the floor long enough to close out with similar observations, but always careful to sound deferential to Xi while doing so. In many ways, CBS’s item surpassed the gross flattery offered up by ABC News, which as a Disney subsidiary must take extra care not to offend Beijing, lest their censors ban Disney movies from playing in the Middle Kingdom.
Correspondent Britt Clement had this to say while admiring the troops marching along Tiananmen Square:
It’s quite extraordinary to be this close to marching soldiers right here in Tiananmen Square in the heart of the Chinese capital.
Extraordinary. One can only imagine what she might have said about the sound of tank treads rolling through Tiananmen on June 4th, 1989. Would she have also used “extraordinary”, or some other adjective?
NBC’s Janice Mackey Frayer avoided the adulatory excesses of her CBS and ABC colleagues. Consistent with her earlier reporting, she once again observed the tight controls imposed in furtherance of the ChiCom parade:
From where we are, six square miles are in complete lockdown with the country and the world watching not only the show, but who's watching it.
No one else acknowledged the “complete lockdown” imposed in order to carry out this parade.
The subservient reporting on the Chinese parade stands in stark contrast to the adversarial coverage given, as others have noted, to a parade honoring the 250th anniversary of the United States Army and convened by the Biden administration but which happened to fall on President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday.
Add Communist Chinese global domination to the long list of things the lega-Xi media have been induced to root for in their Trump derangement, right along with criminal illegal aliens, Venezuelan drug cartels, and crime in American cities.
Click "expand" to view the full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective networks on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
9/3/25
6:44 PM
DAVID MUIR: Overseas tonight, and to China's massive show of force today, the parade of new weapons. China's President Xi, Russia's Vladimir Putin, North Korea's Kim Jong Un all there together. And tonight what President Trump is saying about this, acknowledging today he did watch it. And the rare hot mic moment between President Xi and Vladimir Putin. Our Britt Clennett is in Beijing.
BRITT CLENNETT: Tonight, a defiant show of force. China flexing its military might with its largest ever parade, sending a clear warning to the U.S. it will not be bullied. For the first time, President Xi Jinping standing shoulder to shoulder with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. China showcasing new weapons, including nuclear missiles experts say could be capable of striking the continental U.S. Powerful attack drones, including large torpedo-like underwater drones, and lasers China calls the most powerful in the world. And four-legged robot wolves, designed to locate mines and hunt down soldiers. All while thousands of troops paraded in perfect unison.
It’s quite extraordinary to be this close to marching soldiers right here in Tiananmen Square in the heart of the Chinese capital.
President Trump tonight acknowledging he did watch.
DONALD TRUMP: I thought it was a beautiful ceremony. I thought it was very, very impressive. But I understood the reason they were doing it, and they were hoping I was watching, and I was watching.
CLENNETT: In an earlier post on social media, the president accused Xi, Putin, and Kim of conspiring against the U.S. Putin saying, "The suggestion shows Trump's sense of humor" and claimed none of the leaders at the parade said anything negative about the president. And tonight, that rare hot mic moment right before the parade, Putin and Xi caught in a candid conversation. Putin overheard talking about multiple organ transplants as a way to achieve immortality. Xi responding, saying, “some predict that in this century, humans may live up to 150 years old”. Putin has been leading Russia for 25 years. Xi leading China for almost 13. And both leaders heard talking about immortality as they try to send a message to the U.S. and the world.
And David, one more thing we took note of here in Beijing. Kim Jong Un bringing his daughter Kim Ju Ae on this rare trip outside of North Korea, fuelling speculation she could next be in line to lead North Korea. David.
MUIR: Britt Clennett, who witnessed it all today. Britt, thanks.
CBS EVENING NEWS
9/3/25
6:44 PM
MAURICE DuBOIS: President Trump greeted the president of Poland at The White House today with a military flyover of F-16 and F-35 fighter jets.
JOHN DICKERSON: It came hours after China's president Xi Jinping demonstrated his country's military might at an elaborate parade.
DuBOIS: Anna Coren has the sights and sounds from Beijing, and its implied message to the West.
ANNA COREN: Overseeing his troops under a blazing sun, China’s President Xi Jinping was looking to project the image of a man fulfilling his destiny. "Greetings, comrades. You are working hard”, he tells them. Hosting China's largest-ever military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Xi was front and center. Flanked by his powerful allies and neighbors, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
What we are witnessing here in Beijing is the global order changing before our very eyes. China, Russia, and North Korea showing solidarity against the West, directly challenging the U.S.-led world order.
The People's Liberation Army then unveiled some of its newest military hardware, including nuclear-armed missiles with potential global reach, hypersonic weapons, autonomous underwater drones, and laser air defense systems. During his speech, Xi called upon the military to accelerate its development and become world-class. He also said that China was unstoppable. Shortly after the parade began, President Trump took to social media, accusing China, Russia, and North Korea of conspiring against the United States. A clear indication President Trump is far from impressed with Xi's vision of a new world order.
DICKERSON: Anna Coren joined us now from Beijing. Anna, such a highly choreographed event. What do regular people think about this?
COREN: John, this parade was a source of national pride, right across the country. That's from people we spoke to in the crowd, but also across social media. You know, they know where the country has been. They know where it is heading under President Xi’s leadership, and when he says he wants to make the military world-class on par with the United States, he means that. But those kitchen table issues still dominate here in China. But those kitchen table issues still dominate here in China. The economy is struggling. People are losing jobs. Youth unemployment is high. Businesses are closing. And then you have the trade war between the United States and China still unresolved, so there is still that level of uncertainty.
DuBOIS: All right. Anna Coren in Beijing. Thanks so much.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
9/3/25
6:41 PM
TOM LLAMAS: Now to that lavish military parade with leaders from China, Russia, and North Korea together for the first time, and the conversation picked up on a hot mic about how organ transplants could allow humans to live for 150 years. Janice Mackey Frayer on the spectacle.
JANICE MACKEY FRAYER: Tonight, a choreographed show of force. China's biggest military parade showing off new-generation weapons including nuclear missiles, huge underwater drones, and powerful lasers capped off with doves and balloons.
From where we are, six square miles are in complete lockdown with the country and the world watching not only the show, but who's watching it.
On the balcony, China's president Xi Jinping flanked by Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, a first to see the Western adversaries together. At one point, a hot mic picking up the conversation between Putin and Xi. Putin appearing to say, “Human organs can be continuously transplanted. You can achieve immortality”. Xi appearing to muse that this century, “humans may live up to 150 years”. Asked about it later, Putin saying there is hope human lifespan can increase considerably. The parade highlighting shifting alliances. China, an economic life line to both Russia and North Korea. Kim, now a partner in Russia's war against Ukraine. President Trump posting, “please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un as you conspire against the United States of America.”
DONALD TRUMP: I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing it, and they were hoping I was watching, and I was watching.
FRAYER: Kim Jong Un grabbed the spotlight here, arriving on a bulletproof train with his daughter, tapped as a possible successor. This lavish parade happening as China's economy is struggling. Still, in his speech Xi insisted China's rise is unstoppable.
LLAMAS: And Janice joins us live from Beijing. Janice, we heard President Trump suggesting China was trying to send him a message?
FRAYER: Clearly they were, Tom. China is eager to project itself as the leader of this group seeking an alternative to a world order dominated by the U.S., and they’re warning the U.S. and the West not to challenge them. Tom.
LLAMAS: Janice Mackey Frayer, our thanks to you.
