China Marks 70th Anniversary of the end of WWII Thursday September 03,2015

 

China launched a major military parade through Beijing on Thursday September 03,2015 to commemorate Japan's World War II defeat while underlining President Xi Jinping's determination to make his country Asia's pre-eminent power.

 

 

The spectacle involved more than 12,000 troops, 500 pieces of military hardware and 200 aircraft of various types, representing what military officials say is the Chinese military's most cutting-edge technology.

 

 

 

 Xi kicked off the proceedings with a speech at the iconic Tiananmen Gate in the heart of Beijing, flanked by Chinese leaders and foreign dignitaries, including Russian leader Vladimir Putin, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

12,000 Chinese troops began marching by Tiananmen Square on Thursday morning September 03,2015 before Xi in an attempt by the Communist Party to showcase the nation's rising military might to a global audience.

The party had spent many months planning for the parade, called a commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. But to many outside observers, it was more a symbol of the assertive posture China has taken in the region as territorial disputes have flared, prompting the United States to underline its military dominance of Asian seas.

The parade began at the square beneath blue skies that followed days of rain and weeks of forced closings of factories across northern China to keep the capital's infamous smog at bay. (Sarcastic Chinese commentators have called it "anti-fascist blue.") Before the troops marched past, accompanied by tanks and missiles on the ground and fighter jets overhead, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, made a show of greeting foreign officials that included 30 national leaders.

President Vladimir Putin of Russia topped the list of foreign attendees, and audience members in the stands clapped loudly when he was shown on TV in the square. The president of Sudan, Omar al-Bashir, indicted by the International Criminal Court on genocide charges, was the most prominent African leader in the stands

A last-minute decision to attend by President Park Geun-hye of South Korea, which counts China as its most important trading partner and hopes to drive a wedge between China and North Korea, bolstered the roll call from Asia

Russian President Vadimir Putin arrived in the Chinese capital of Beijing on Wednesday Sep 02,2015 to take part in celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II 

Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Mongolia, Pakistan, Serbia, Tajikistan and Russia have sent parade formations to Beijing, each consisting of 75 soldiers.

Afghanistan, Cambodia,  Fiji, Laos, Vanuatu and Venezuela have sent seven soldiers each.

As many as 31 more countries have said they would send high-ranking military observers.

China is expected to display about 500 units of military equipment of 40 types, as well as 200 aircraft of 20 types, including bombers, fighters, carrier-based aircraft, coastal patrol planes, tanker aircraft and helicopters