Beijing to host grand military parade on Sept 3

China will hold a grand military parade in Beijing on Sept 3 to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, senior Chinese officials announced on Tuesday.

On the morning of Sept 3, China will hold a grand ceremony at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory of these two wars, including a troop review, said Hu Heping, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

The ceremony will be held in the name of the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission, he added in a news conference held by the State Council Information Office.

Wu Zeke, deputy head of the combat operations department of the Central Military Commission's Joint Staff Department, said that the equipment formations participating in the upcoming parade will prominently display the latest achievements in the Chinese military's equipment system development.

"All weapons and equipment to be reviewed are domestically produced, active-duty main battle gear," Wu said.

In addition, leaders, former political dignitaries from relevant countries, main leaders of international organizations, and foreign diplomatic envoys in China will be invited to attend the commemorative activities, Hu said.

Representatives of international friends who contributed to China's victory against Japanese aggression, or their descendants, will also receive invitations, he said.

Additionally, China will host a series of commemorative activities nationwide starting from July. It will also award commemorative medals for the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression to living veterans and old comrades of the war, anti-Japanese war generals or their descendants.

A ceremony will be held on July 7 at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in Beijing to commemorate the 88th anniversary of the Lugou Bridge Incident, according to Hu.

The incident is recognized as the start of Japan's full-scale invasion and China's whole-nation resistance against the invaders.

Around Oct 25, a conference will be held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession, Hu said, expressing support to overseas Chinese to organize related commemorative activities in their local areas.

On Dec 13, a national memorial ceremony for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre will be held in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

Furthermore, Hong Kong and Macao will also organize a series of commemorative activities.