Beijing counts down for war anniversary celebration

Aviation and road traffic control measures are common for military parades worldwide. Beijing residents have expressed their understanding and support for the temporary measures.

"I think limiting cars on streets does not affect me as I take public transport," said Li Yifei, 21, a worker at a Beijing Internet company. "The extra one-day holiday is a bonus."

The military parade has been a hot topic among Chinese web-users, who look forward to the event.

"I hope every day in the future will be like the parade day, with no smog, no bad smell from factories. It is so fine to have blue skies," wrote user 'Meng' on microblog Sina Weibo.

Others discussed whether Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will come to attend the parade.

China's previous parade was held on Oct 1, 2009 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The Sept 3 parade will be the first time China has marked the anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the victory of WWII.

China played a significant role in the victory of the world's anti-Fascist war.

Over the course of 14 years of war, China suffered more than 35 million military and non-military casualties, with military casualties reaching more than 3.8 million, accounting for a third of the total casualties of all the countries in the WWII.

"The great contributions made by the Chinese people to the world anti-Fascist war should be remembered," said Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visited an exhibition, "Great Victory, Historic Contribution", on July 7 at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance against Japanese Aggression near Lugou Bridge, also known as Marco Polo Bridge, in the southwest of Beijing.

Zhong Fei, a 96-year-old veteran in Pingdingshan, Henan Province, has been invited to attend the parade. He had special clothes and shoes tailored for the grand occasion.

The elder, who joined the Communist Party of China-led army in the late 1930s, said the brigade he served killed or injured more than 10,000 Japanese soldiers or puppet troops.

"I feel so honored to attend the 70th anniversary parade at this age," said Zhong, calling for young people to cherish peace and contribute to building a stronger motherland to safeguard permanent peace.