Last week, China marked the 70th anniversary of the defeat of Japan in 1945 with a military parade. While we typically associate China today with a rapidly growing and increasingly far-reaching military, this was in fact just the fourth such parade in the 39 years since Mao Zedong died, and the first ever that did not celebrate the founding of the People's Republic. The parade sent several signals to audiences both domestic and foreign; unfortunately, the mixed messages create a cacophony that is virtually impossible to decode.

As always, the first message, to all viewers, was a confirmation of China's rise and return to its status as a regional power with global aspirations. The basis of that assertion is the country's rapidly modernizing military machine, an increasingly formidable weapon that is the product of extraordinary economic growth. The People's Liberation Amy's budget has enjoyed two decades of double-digit growth, is anticipated to reach $145 billion this year and has created the world's second-largest military.

Some of the fruits of that investment were on display. The parade featured 12,000 troops, 500 pieces of military equipment and about 200 aircraft overhead. Chinese media reported that 84 percent of the equipment had been unveiled for the event. Seven missiles were trundled through the streets of Beijing with their English designations plainly visible for all to see. The DF21-D "aircraft carrier killer" was the most widely anticipated reveal, a long-rumored weapon that targets the most important symbol of U.S. power projection and military supremacy. Also showcased were longer-range missiles capable of hitting Guam and Okinawa with nuclear or conventional warheads. The message was unmistakable: China is a formidable adversary whose interests and concerns cannot be ignored.