Beijing Invites Foreign Troops To Join Military Parade

By Niam Seet Wei BEIJING, June 24 (Bernama) -- China plans to hold a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of its victory in World War II, and for the first time ever, will invite foreign militaries to participate in the parade at Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Sept 3. It would be the first time that foreign troops were invited to participate, and China's first parade to mark the victory, with foreign troops and domestic model troops, reported China Daily. “We hope through this year's military parade, history and the future can be connected, China and the world can be connected, and the message of peace and development can be sent,” the state-run newspaper quoted deputy director of parade steering group office Qu Rui as saying. Besides that, the parade would also invite veterans and the descendants of those who had participated and supported the war, the report said. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, would deliver a speech and present medals to veterans and generals who participated in the war and family dependents of the deceased, it said. Troops taking part in the parade had begun their training at bases and some nearby airfields in Beijing, it added. China is celebrating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Japan signed the formal surrender on Sept 2, 1945, and Sept 3 is marked as Victory Day (V- Day) in China. -- BERNAMA