70th anniversary parade to show China's military might

The military parade on the nation's 70th birthday will showcase the latest achievements from the modernization process of the People's Liberation Army, as well as its stanch confidence of becoming a world-class military force, Major General Cai Zhijun, deputy director of the Leading Group Office of Military Parade, said on Tuesday.

Cai said the parade will demonstrate the PLA's determination to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, as well as to maintain world peace and regional stability.

"It will motivate and encourage all Party members, all military personnel and people across all ethnic groups to work tirelessly in realizing the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation," he said.

The military parade passing through Tiananmen Square will be divided into four major categories: aerial flag bearing units, infantry formations, military hardware and aircraft. The parade will last around 80 minutes.

The showcase will include around 15,000 military personnel, 160 aircraft, 580 military hardware and 59 formations in total, making it the biggest military parade in recent history, Cai said.

For the 15 infantry formations, troopers will march in square formations representing various branches of the military, along with researchers, female soldiers, military reserves, militia and peacekeeping forces. The female battalion will be led by two female generals for the first time in history.

The 32 formations for military equipment will showcase a variety of hardware for ground and maritime combat weapons, air defense and anti-missile applications, information and unmanned warfare, as well as logistics and strategic combat forces. A lot of equipment, such as unmanned drones, will debut in the parade.

The 12 formations for the aircraft feature units from early warning and control planes, bombers, carrier-born fighter jets, multirole fighter jets and helicopters.

Major General Tan Min, the deputy chief of staff of the PLA Central Theater Command, said the weapons featured in the parade are domestically made and in service, which represent the innovative capability of Chinese defense research.

The weapons are also highly modern, with greater precision, adaptability and overall combat effectiveness, he added.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, said a total of 188 military attaches from 97 countries in China are invited to the military parade. No foreign troops will join the parade.