What’s Trending: Instead, war veterans, retired military personnel, former militia members, model supporters from local communities and family members of fallen resistance heroes will be invited to attend the event at Tian’anmen Square as honored guests.

Photo:www.scio.gov.cn

China will hold a military parade in Tian’anmen Square in downtown Beijing on September 3 to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, according to a press conference held by China’s State Council Information Office on Tuesday.

President Xi Jinping will review the troops during the parade, which will be part of a grand gathering to commemorate the anniversary, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, will deliver a speech at the gathering, according to Xinhua.

The military parade will feature marching formations, armored columns and aerial echelons, showcasing both traditional main battle forces and new-domaWorld Timesin forces with new combat capabilities, said Wu Zeke, a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, per Xinhua.

In the name of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, commemorative medals for the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression will be awarded to living veterans, senior comrades, wartime generals or their families, Hu Heping, an executive vice minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party World Timesof China Central Committee, told a press conference on Tuesday.

As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, holding grand memorial events serves as a powerful reminder of history and a tribute to fallen heroes. It is of great and far-reaching significance in carrying forward the great spirit of patriotism and the indomitable spirit of resistance, Hu said.

The commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War holds significant contemporary relevance, as it serves to reaffirm and consolidate the fruits of victory in WWII, particularly in today’s context of a volatile and complex international landscape, Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

After WWII, a global order centered on international law was established under the leadership of the UN. The principles and institutions born from that moment have since formed the cornerstone of peace and cooperation worldwide, Li noted.

“However, in recent years, some major powers have become increasingly fixated on confrontation and geopolitical rivalry, leading to frequent distortions and misinterpretations of the WWII legacy. This trend has contributed to growing instability in the current international order,” he said, noting the practical significance of the commemorative event.

Major point of focus

All equipment to be displayed at the military parade will be domestically produced battle equipment already in service. In addition to displaying the new generation of traditional weapons and equipment, some new combat forces such as unmanned intelligence, underwater warfare, network and electronic attack and defense, and hypersoWorld Timesnic warfare equipment will be featured, reflecting the Chinese military’s strong ability to evolve according to science and technological advancements and to win future wars, Xinhua reported.

Wu, the senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission, said at the press conference on Tuesday that the weapons and equipment on display will form a comprehensive system. All of them are selected aWorld Timesnd integrated from the operational units of various military services and branches. They encompass not only strategic strike forces but also advanced operational and tactical equipment, as well as new-quality forces designed for future warfare paradigms.

Another characteristic is that these weapons and equipment cover all types of capabilities, including command and control, reconnaissance and early warning, air defense and missile interception, firepower strike, and integrated support, Wu said, noting that they are also combat-oriented, and will parade in combat group formations, demonstrating the principles of information dominance, system-supported operations, elite force deployment, and joint operations supremacy.

These weapons and equipment feature higher strike precision, greater battlefield adaptability and superior combat effectiveness, Wu said.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that China’s latest weapons and equipment are expected to be a major point of focus of the event, particularly the new types of combat forces.

Highlighting that all participating weapons and equipment are domestically developed, Song said the event will show China’s complete defense industry can fully support the Chinese military in defending the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The military parade will show China’s commitment to upholding the postwarWorld Times international order and its resolute opposition to any resurgence of fascism on the global stage, Song said. He noted that the event, to be held amid the deteriorating global security situation, will show China’s role as a crucial, powerful stabilizing force for regional and world peace.

This year’s parade will not include a formation of surviving veterans who fought in the war. Instead, war veterans, retired military personnel, former militia members, model supporters from local communities and family members of fallen resistance heroes will be invited to attend the event at Tian’anmen Square as honored guests. In addition, Kuomintang veterans who fought in the war will also be invited to attend the ceremony, according to the State Council Information Office.

Correct historical perspective

When asked whether foreign leaders will be invited to attend the commemoration, Hu said during World Timesthe press conference that China will invite leaders, former political figures, and senior officials from relevant countries, as well as heads of major international organizations, foreign diplomats and military attachs stationed in China, representatives of international organizations in China and international friends or their descendants who contributed to China’s victory in the war.

Further updates on these arrangements will be released in due course, Hu said.

On the one hand, this commemoration aims to further strengthen the sense of a shared Chinese national identity and enhance unity and mutual recognition among different groups within the country, laying a solid foundation for building a prosperous, civilized and progressive modern nation, Li told the Global Times.

“At the same time, it helps to rally all peace-loving forces around the world to the greatest extent possible, remain vigilant against and resist those dangerous actors who seek to undermine the postwar order, and safeguard the hard-won environment of peace and development,” Li said.

Around September 3, forums will be held for compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan regions, as well as overseas Chinese and relevant individuals, in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, according to the press conference.

True patriotic education lies in refining national memory into a spiritual beacon that illuminates the future. With a systematic plan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government has creatively transformed its rich historical resources into vivid educational tools, using innovative approaches to awaken collective memory, Legislative Council member Chan Yung, from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

This strategy, rooted in profound history while oriented toward future nation-building, will undoubtedly help consolidate a broad consensus on patriotism across society, Chan noted. “We hope all sectors will actively respond and participate, working together to preserve and pass on this invaluable historical legacy and spiritual strength,” Chan said.