Tiananmen Square and Chang’an Avenue are adorned for the grand commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, scheduled for September 3. The event includes a military parade lasting approximately 70 minutes. Organizing the parade in the capital is part of institutional arrangements for major national commemorations and holds significant political and historical importance. What are the specific arrangements for this parade?

Parade to Last About 70 Minutes, Conducted in Two Parts

The parade consists of two parts: the inspection and the march-past, lasting about 70 minutes. During the inspection, troops line up on Chang’an Avenue to be reviewed.

In the march-past, formations proceed through Tiananmen Square in the following order: aerial flag guard echelon, foot formations, battle flag formations, equipment formations, and aerial echelons.

Helicopter Aerial Flag Guard Echelon Leads the Way

The parade includes 45 formations. The aerial flag guard echelon, composed of multiple helicopter units, carries flags, forms characters, and displays banners, symbolizing national prosperity and military strength under leadership, proclaiming the great truth that justice, peace, and the people will prevail.

Foot Formations: « Old and New » Show Heritage and Development

Foot formations reflect « old and new »: « old » refers to veteran anti-war units, with participants drawn from predecessors of the Eighth Route Army, New Fourth Army, Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and South China Guerrilla units, as well as militia from former anti-Japanese base areas; « new » represents the new layout of military forces, including the « three-combination » armed forces system.

Battle Flag Formations: Symbolic Flags Continue the Spirit of Resistance

Battle flag formations represent heroic honors from the war. Typical flags from different periods, regions, and units are selected, carried by soldiers from their respective units, symbolizing the continuation of the great spirit of resistance and the fearless, advancing people’s military.

Equipment Formations: Demonstrating Capability to Win Modern Wars

Equipment formations are grouped for joint combat operations, including land combat, maritime combat, air defense and anti-missile, information operations, unmanned operations, logistics support, and strategic strike groups. Many represent the latest equipment in modern warfare evolution, including key national assets, fully demonstrating the capability to win modern wars.

Aerial Echelons: Leapfrog Development in Combat Power

Aerial echelons are modularly and systematically organized, comprising advanced early warning aircraft, fighters, bombers, transporters, and more, covering most

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) to its north. It has been a significant site for political gatherings and cultural events throughout Chinese history, most notably the proclamation of the People’s Republic of China by Mao Zedong in 1949. The square is a major national symbol and one of the largest public squares in the world.

Chang’an Avenue

Chang’an Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Beijing, China, historically serving as the main east-west axis of the city. Its name, meaning « Eternal Peace, » dates back to the Ming Dynasty, and it has been the site for numerous military parades and national celebrations. Today, it runs past significant political and cultural landmarks, including Tiananmen Square and the Great Hall of the People.

Eighth Route Army

The Eighth Route Army was a major unit of the Chinese Communist Party’s forces, formed from the Red Army in 1937 as part of the Second United Front to resist the Japanese invasion during the Second Sino-Japanese War. It played a crucial military and political role in northern China, using guerrilla warfare to establish base areas and mobilize the rural population, which significantly contributed to the CCP’s eventual victory in the Chinese Civil War.

New Fourth Army

The New Fourth Army was a major Communist military force during the Second Sino-Japanese War, officially formed in 1937 from Red Army remnants who had survived the Long March in southern China. It is historically significant for its role in resisting the Japanese occupation and for the 1941 « New Fourth Army Incident, » a major military clash with Nationalist (KMT) forces that intensified the Chinese Civil War.

Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army

The Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was a major Chinese guerrilla force organized in the 1930s to resist the Japanese occupation of Manchuria. Composed primarily of Chinese Communist Party members and local patriots, it waged a difficult campaign against overwhelming odds. Its history is a cornerstone of the official narrative of resistance during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

South China Guerrilla units

The South China Guerrilla Units were Communist-led resistance forces that operated behind Japanese lines during the Second Sino-Japanese War. They played a significant role in harassing enemy supply lines and later became a core component of the People’s Liberation Army, contributing to the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War.