BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping said humanity must choose between peace and war and dialogue and confrontation in a speech Wednesday before a major military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
Xi started a brief address by remembering the victims of the war and called for eradication of the roots of war to prevent history from repeating itself. But his main message was forward looking: Today, China is strong, fears no one and is ready to take a leading role in the world.
“The Chinese people are a people that are not afraid of violence and are self-reliant and strong,” he said. At the same time, “We will adhere to the path of peaceful development and work hand in hand with people of all countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind.”
The parade began with troops marching in rhythmic lockstep, their boots echoing off the pavement, to be reviewed by Xi, who heads China's military as chairman of the Central Military Commission.
A limousine ride and modern military hardware
The parade that lasted about 90 minutes showcased missiles, fighter jets and other military hardware — some of it displayed publicly for the first time.
Before the military units marched, Xi rode by the entire length of their formations along Beijing’s central Chang’an Avenue in a classic black limousine. He stood in the vehicle's sunroof with four microphones lined in front of him and greeted flanks of personnel as he passed them and rows of missiles and military vehicles.
They shouted back mottos in unison such as “We serve the people.”
Before Xi spoke, the ceremony began with an 80-gun artillery salute to mark the 80 years since the end of the war, followed by the national anthem, the “March of the Volunteers,” a song composed in 1935 during the early years of resistance against invading Japanese forces.
Putin and Kim were among Xi's prominent guests
Xi's invited guests including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched the parade from the historic Tiananmen Gate. Xi shook their hands individually before they climbed the stairs up to the viewing platform overlooking Tiananmen Square.
Putin and Kim flanked Xi as they made their way to the platform. They paused to shake hands with five WWII veterans, some older than 100.
As the parade got underway, U.S. President Donald Trump said on social media that the big question is whether Xi will recognize the contributions of Americans who fought in the war.
He added: “Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
Xi, in his remarks, did not mention America by name but expressed his gratitude to foreign countries who helped China resist the Japanese invasion.
Domestically, the commemoration of the anniversary is a way to show how far China has come. China was a major front in the war, a fact often overlooked in accounts that focus more on the fight for Europe and U.S. naval battles in the Pacific. A Japanese invasion before the war and the conflict itself killed millions of Chinese people.
The military parade was also a show of strength to boost support for the Communist Party and its leader, Xi, domestically, and a way to portray itself as a global alternative to the American-dominated postwar era.
“The Chinese people’s rejuvenation cannot be blocked, and the noble goal of the peaceful development of human civilization must triumph,” Xi said at the end of his speech.
The marching formations from the People’s Liberation Army included traditional units like the navy and army to new ones like the cyberspace unit, in charge of information security.
Xi said the PLA was a heroic military “the people and the Party can trust and rely on completely.” He also said the PLA's task was to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and unification, a reference to China’s claim over the self-ruled island of Taiwan.
A sea of people sat in clearly demarcated sections on the square across the wide avenue as the soldiers marched past. They waved small red flags as choirs sang patriotic songs including “Defend the Yellow River” and “No New China without the Communist Party of China.”
___
Associated Press writers Huizhong Wu in Beijing and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.
The Latest
Featured
