The event will unveil hypersonic weapons and advanced armaments while showcasing tens of thousands of troops before President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders including Vladimir Putin. (Image Credits: Al Jazeera)
China will stage a massive military parade next month in Beijing to commemorate 80 years since the end of World War Two, following Japan’s surrender in 1945. The Victory Day parade, scheduled for September 3, promises to be one of the largest military spectacles in recent years, mobilising tens of thousands of troops and featuring a vast array of weaponry, many of which will be revealed to the public for the first time.
According to officials, the parade will showcase hundreds of aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, and precision-strike weapons capable of travelling at five times the speed of sound. The event will not only honour history but also demonstrate the growing military might of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to an international audience.
New tanks, early-warning aircraft, and trucks equipped with anti-drone technology are among the highly anticipated additions. According to security specialists, Beijing is preparing for any future confrontations, especially in the Indo-Pacific region where tensions with the United States and its allies are still high, by focusing on hypersonic weapons and sophisticated anti-ship missiles.
Wu Zeke, deputy director of the parade, stressed the significance of these new unveilings, saying:
“The weapons and equipment will fully demonstrate our military’s robust ability to adapt to technological advancements, evolving warfare patterns, and win future wars.”
While the exact number of troops, weapons, and equipment was not disclosed, military officials confirmed that new armaments will make up a significant portion of the parade’s display.
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Reuters reporters observed rehearsals at a military camp on the outskirts of Beijing, where troops practiced precise formation drills. Groups of honour guards, both men and women, marched in coordinated rows, responding sharply to officers’ commands.
The final parade is expected to last around 70 minutes, featuring 45 formations of troops. Chinese President Xi Jinping will preside over the event from Tiananmen Square, joined by several foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also attended the 2015 parade.
This will be only the second large-scale parade of its kind since 2015, when China last marked the World War Two anniversary with a similar show of strength. That event saw over 12,000 soldiers marching through Beijing, including international contingents from countries like Russia, Belarus, Mongolia, and Cambodia.
Many Western leaders, however, chose to skip the 2015 parade, wary of endorsing China’s power projection. Then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declined to attend, while former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair were among the notable foreign guests.
This time, foreign participation will once again serve as a litmus test of geopolitical alignments. With global concerns over China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea and beyond, the military showcase is expected to be closely scrutinised.
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Chinese authorities have already stepped up security in the capital. Checkpoints, traffic diversions, and closures of shopping malls and office buildings have been implemented in downtown Beijing since rehearsals began. Two large-scale practice runs earlier in August drew tens of thousands of participants, including troops, police, and selected spectators.
Among those marching this year is Staff Sergeant Lan Yu, 28, who previously served in a U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. “This year marks my 11th year in the military, and it’s my first time representing the peacekeeping force in a parade,” Lan said. When asked about global unease over China’s expanding military power, he maintained: “China has always been a peace-loving nation.”
