Guantanamo.- Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his capacity as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviewed the troops lined up for the commemorative military parade on Wednesday.
From state-of-the-art ballistic missiles to the most advanced fighter jets, the entire arsenal displayed during the event is domestically produced and currently in active service.
For the first time, China publicly showcased strategic naval, air, and land weapons, as well as high-precision systems, unmanned platforms, and anti-drone units.
The People’s Liberation Army, arranged in various formations, demonstrated the modernization efforts undertaken in recent years, with the parade serving as a presentation of these armed forces ahead of their centennial in two years.
Despite the grand military display, Beijing emphasized the strategic and peaceful nature of the parade, which marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the defeat of fascism.
President Xi delivered a speech highlighting the interconnected destiny of humanity and reaffirming his country’s commitment to peace, cooperation, and peaceful development. “History warns that only through equality, harmony, and mutual support can nations safeguard common security and eliminate the roots of war; the repetition of historical tragedies must be avoided,” he stated.
Xi urged the acceleration of building world-class armed forces with a mission to safeguard China’s sovereignty, unification, and territorial integrity. He also stressed that the military must provide strategic support for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
The parade was attended by 26 heads of state and government, along with other high-ranking representatives of various international organizations.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, who held a brief conversation with Xi during the parade, was the only leader from Latin America and the Caribbean present at the commemorative event, although high-level officials from Nicaragua, Brazil, and Venezuela were also in attendance.
Flanking Xi Jinping were Russian President Vladimir Putin and the supreme leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kim Jong Un.
