Xi’s first grand military parade ‘meant to deter Japan and corrupt officials’
Second world war anniversary march-past will also bolster president's power, say analysts
A huge military parade to be held in Beijing later this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the second world war will also show off the nation's growing international influence and military might and bolster the political power of President Xi Jinping, according to analysts.
The event will probably be held on September 3, according to academic and military sources, and it will the first time the president has attended a full-scale military parade in the capital since he took office in 2012. The events are usually held every 10 years in Beijing on China's National Day, October 1.
"The parade will show the outside world that President Xi has full control of the party, government and army as well as highlight his success in the ongoing nationwide anti-corruption campaign," said Li Jie, a Beijing-based retired senior colonel.
Macau-based military expert Antony Wong Dong said the parade would help the president further consolidate his personal prestige at home and overseas and would give the world a glimpse of China's achievements in modernising its army.
"Military enthusiasts and politicians are waiting for more surprises in this year's parade because China has been reported testing so many advanced fighter jets and missiles in recent years," Wong said.
The last National Day parade in 2009 surprised many overseas military observers because it featured many of the PLA's latest generation of weapons, he said.
