The resounding and powerful footsteps on Tiananmen Square are not only a display of national strength, but also a historical dialogue spanning 80 years, proclaiming the dignity and power of peace to the world.
In Beijing in September, Tiananmen Square was decorated in full for the grand occasion. On September 3, 2025, the grand meeting to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War was held here. On Chang'an Avenue, the soldiers of the three armed forces marched with a resounding step; in the sky, fighter planes flew in formation, cutting through the sky.
This grand military parade, which lasted about 70 minutes, featured 45 formations, covering various aspects from the old anti-war troops to modern new combat forces. All the weapons and equipment reviewed were selected from domestically produced main battle equipment in active service, with many new types of equipment making their debut, highlighting the overall leap forward of China's defense science and technology industry.
01 Historical choice: Why was it set on September 3rd
On September 2, 1945, Japan officially signed the surrender agreement on board the USS Missouri battleship. The following day (September 3), the Chinese government announced a nationwide celebration, with a one-day holiday and three days of flag-raising.
In 1951, the Government Administration Council of the People's Republic of China officially recognized September 3 as the Victory Day of the Anti-Japanese War. On February 27, 2014, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed legislation, officially designating September 3 as the Victory Day of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.
Choosing September 3rd, rather than August 15th (the day Japan announced its surrender), carries profound historical legitimacy and symbolic significance. September 2nd, the day Japan officially signed the surrender document, holds greater legal validity and aligns with the international community's perception of the end of World War II.
02 Essential differences from the National Day military parade
There is an essential difference between the military parade on September 3rd and the National Day military parade. National Day (October 1st) is the day to celebrate the founding of the People's Republic of China, and its military parade focuses on showcasing the country's economic, technological, and military achievements, celebrating the birth of New China.
The military parade on September 3rd commemorates the victory of the War of Resistance, with the main tone being remembrance, reflection, and warning. It reminds people that victory is hard-won and peace is extremely precious. As the anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance, September 3rd carries deeper historical significance and relevance.
03 Grand Military Parade: 45 formations showcase the might of a strong military
The military parade was conducted in two steps: the parade ceremony and the march-past. During the march-past, the aerial flag-guarding echelon, the foot marching formation, the battle flag formation, the equipment formation, and the aerial echelon passed through Tiananmen Square in order.
The aerial flag-guarding echelon, consisting of multiple formations of various helicopters, will proclaim to the world the great truth that justice will prevail, peace will prevail, and the people will prevail, through methods such as guarding flags, forming characters, and hanging slogans.
The marching formation embodies the characteristics of "one old and one new". "One old" refers to the veterans of the Anti-Japanese War, with the participants mainly drawn from units formerly known as the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and the South China Guerrilla Force; "One new" refers to the new layout of the military force structure, including the "three-in-one" armed forces system.
04 Weaponry: Domestic heavy equipment debuts
In this military parade, hundreds of types of equipment were showcased, many of which were unveiled and displayed together for the first time. All the weapons and equipment reviewed were domestically produced and in active service, highlighting China's strong independent innovation capability in the field of weaponry and the overall advancement of its defense science and technology industry.
The equipment formation is organized in accordance with actual combat scenarios, comprising land combat groups, maritime combat groups, air defense and anti-missile groups, information combat groups, unmanned combat groups, logistics and support groups, and strategic strike groups. Special arrangements have been made for new types of combat forces such as unmanned, underwater, and cyber-electronic combat groups, showcasing our military's new capabilities in new domains.
The air echelon is organized in a modular and systematic manner, consisting of advanced early warning and command aircraft, fighters, bombers, transport aircraft, etc., which basically covers the main combat aircraft types currently in service in our military.
05 The largest military band plays a powerful note of the times
The largest joint military band in the history of the New China military parade, consisting of over a thousand officers and soldiers, played well-known classic war resistance tunes in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes, reminiscing together with everyone about those arduous years of war resistance.
The military band arranged 14 formations to symbolize the 14-year war of resistance against Japan by the Chinese people, with 80 trumpeters in the front row to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory of the war. The warm-up segment featured a joint performance of four anti-war songs, and the formation display will showcase newly created "victory of the war" theme tracks.
The military band has optimized and increased the proportion of woodwind instruments, innovatively utilizing a combination of ceremonial horns, brass instruments, and percussion to enhance the richness and brilliance of the music. The band has cleverly designed performance movements to enrich musical expression and enhance the audio-visual effects.
06 International Participation: 26 Heads of State Gather in Beijing
It is understood that 26 foreign heads of state and government attended the commemorative event. These included Russian President Putin, General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea Kim Jong-un, King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia, Vietnamese President Le Quang, Indonesian President Prabowo, and others.
The gathering of so many international political leaders in Beijing reflects the international community's recognition of China's contribution to the war and its support for maintaining the post-war international order. To some extent, it also indicates that Japan's diplomatic efforts to prevent other countries from participating in the military parade have failed.
07 Eastern Battlefield: Underestimated Contributions to the Anti-Japanese War
In the mainstream Western narrative, the history of World War II often focuses solely on the European battlefield, the Holocaust, and the fall of Berlin. The immense contributions and sacrifices made in the Eastern theater have long been underestimated or even ignored.
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, an estimated 35 million people in China suffered casualties. Entire cities, including Nanjing, were reduced to ruins, and civilians were subjected to mass killings, starvation, and forced labor.
The 14-year war of resistance and the tremendous sacrifices made by the Chinese people opened up a decisive eastern front, making a significant contribution to the ultimate victory. China has long contained and resisted the main forces of Japanese imperialism, annihilating over 1.5 million Japanese troops.
08 Commitment to Peace: China's Declaration of Not Seeking Hegemony
China is the only country that has written the path of peaceful development into its constitution. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, China has never initiated a war, never occupied an inch of another country's territory, and never waged a proxy war.
Among the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China dispatches the largest number of peacekeepers. China's Global Security Initiative advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept, providing a practical and feasible solution to address the global security deficit.
China promises that no matter how it develops, it will never seek hegemony, expansion, or engage in arms race. This promise vividly demonstrates China's determination to become a force promoting world peace, stability, and progress.
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Eighty years have witnessed tremendous changes. From the parade of "Wan Guo Pai" equipment and the aircraft flying back and forth twice over Tiananmen Square, to the parade of all weapons and equipment being domestically produced and in active service, the modernized people's army arrayed on the Chang'an Avenue is not only a tribute to history, but also a vow for the future.
The roar of the battlefield has faded away, but the torch of spirit will never be extinguished. When the salute and the dove of peace fly together, when the flood of steel and the olive branch coexist, China declares to the world: we have the ability to defend peace, and we are even more willing to share peace.
