Fighter jets yesterday flew low over Beijing as thousands of soldiers from China, Russia and other nations rehearsed for a military parade sheduled for next month to commemorate the end of World War II.
The Sept. 3 parade is to showcase the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s rapidly growing capabilities at a time when Beijing is asserting territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
The city center was closed to the public, but photographs on social media showed Chinese missile carriers rolling through Tiananmen Square and troops carrying the flags of Mongolia and Cuba. Military helicopters flew over forming the figure “70.”
Photo: AFP
More than 10,000 Chinese military personnel, with more than 500 vehicles and about 200 aircraft, took part in the rehearsal, Xinhua news agency reported.
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mexico also plan to participate, according to state media. The government has said more than 10 other nations are taking part, but has not identified the others.
China said the parade is to mark the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II and to demonstrate its commitment to peace.
However, it comes as other governments are expressing unease at Beijing’s confrontational stance toward territorial disputes. That has made taking part in next month’s parade politically charged.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Czech President Milos Zeman have accepted invitations to attend, along with unidentified leaders from Central Asia, according to state media.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye has said she would attend a ceremony marking the anniversary of victory over Japan in World War II, but aides say she has yet to decide whether to attend the military parade.
Beijing is also actively courting support for its rivalry with Japan, which many Chinese say has never shown adequate contrition for its World War II invasion of China.
On Saturday, propaganda officials took foreign reporters to a military base outside Beijing where hundreds of troops in dress uniforms and battle attire marched along a strip of tarmac.
China’s last such military parade was in 2009 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
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