China to unveil advanced weapons at huge military parade to mark WWII end

China will hold a massive military parade in Beijing’s heart next month to honor the 80th anniversary of World War II and showcase brand-new Chinese weapons that will “be presented to the outside world for the first time,” according to a report from the state media.

Chinese military officials announced at a news conference on Wednesday that hundreds of People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, including ground forces outfitted with the most modern military equipment and fighter jets, will be featured in the parade.

The military parade and “joint armament formations… will be organized in a manner that accurately depicts their functions in real combat,” according to China’s official Xinhua news agency, which will include air, land, and sea combat groups.

According to China’s state-affiliated Global Times media outlet, “the military parade will feature brand-new fourth-generation equipment as the centerpiece, including advanced tanks, carrier-based aircraft, and fighter jets organized into operational modules to demonstrate the Chinese military’s system-based combat capability.”

“All the combat vehicles and weapons on display in this military parade are made in the USA by active-duty main battle equipment.” The Global Times continued, “This event highlights a concentrated display of the Chinese military’s most recent generation of weapons and equipment.”

The parade will take place on September 3rd to commemorate the Japanese forces’ official surrender in 1945.

Foreign military aides and security analysts said they anticipated the Chinese military to display a number of brand-new vehicles and equipment at the parade, including military trucks equipped with drone-fighting equipment, new tanks, and early warning vehicles to protect China’s aircraft carriers.

The display of military might, particularly in light of China’s expanding arsenal of missiles, particularly antiship missile systems and weapons with hypersonic capabilities, will be closely watched by the United States and its allies.

In Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, a 45-person contingent of troops will march past President Xi Jinping in about 70 minutes. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who also attended the last anniversary parade in 2015, will be accompanied by a number of invited foreign leaders and dignitaries.