On September 2, the day before the 80th anniversary military parade celebrating China’s Victory Day, a view of Tiananmen Square in Beijing is shown. On the 3rd, leaders from North Korea, China, and Russia are expected to step onto the Tiananmen Rostrum to observe the parade. The military parade for the 80th anniversary of China’s Victory Day is scheduled to take place at 9 AM (local time) on the 3rd at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, lasting for 70 minutes with the participation of 45 units. China plans to showcase its military might by unveiling a large number of its latest weapons, including a super-sized unmanned submarine and hypersonic missiles.
According to CCTV and other sources on the 2nd, the parade is structured into two main stages: the military inspection by Chinese President Xi Jinping and the march by various units. Firstly, President Xi will welcome foreign guests including North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin, delivering an opening declaration and speech before the event officially commences. The military inspection will involve President Xi driving past the lined-up units, with soldiers chanting, “Weirenminfuwu” (“Serve the People”).
Next, a procession of each unit crossing the square will take place, led by an aerial flag escort formation. Various types of helicopters will display banners such as the Chinese national flag and those commemorating the 80th anniversary of Victory Day. This will be followed by the infantry formation and a flag formation symbolizing troops from the Anti-Japanese War.
The highlight of the parade is expected to be the equipment procession and aerial formation, featuring the latest weaponry. The DF-26D, an advanced version of the mid-range ballistic missile Dongfeng (DF)-26, capable of targeting Guam and referred to as the ‘Guam Killer,’ will make an appearance. Other anticipated displays include the DF-17, believed to neutralize the U.S. military’s THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system, and the hypersonic anti-ship missiles Yingji (YJ)-17 and YJ-21. The YJ-21 is reportedly capable of striking long-distance maritime targets such as U.S. aircraft carriers without revealing its launch position, with this showcase of weaponry perceived as a warning to deter Western intervention in case of conflicts around Taiwan or other regions near China.
In prior parade rehearsals, there was also a display of a state-of-the-art unmanned submarine named “XLUUV,” marked “AJX 002,” which is considered to resemble Russia’s under-development underwater drone ‘Poseidon.’