The Chinese authorities have announced details of the September 3rd military parade, which will last approximately 70 minutes. Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping will review the troops. Among the weapons and equipment participating, a significant proportion will be new types making their debut; some strategic, hypersonic precision strike equipment from land, sea, and air platforms will be showcased to the public for the first time.
On the morning of the 20th, the State Council Information Office held a press conference to introduce the preparatory work for the September 3rd parade. According to the relevant official, all weapons and equipment participating in the event have been selected from domestically-produced, currently active main battle equipment, with a high proportion being new models unveiled for the first time.
The official stated that the parade will include 45 formations (echelons). The equipment formations will be organized according to realistic, joint-operation scenarios, formed into groups such as land combat, sea combat, air defense and missile defense, information warfare, unmanned combat, logistic support, and strategic strike. "Many of these represent the latest evolution in modern warfare equipment, and some are national strategic assets."
The aerial echelons will be organized in a modular and systemic fashion, composed of advanced early warning and command aircraft, fighter jets, bombers, transport planes, etc., essentially covering all main combat aircraft currently in PLA service. "Many are high-profile, star equipment, some of which are making their first public appearance, fully showcasing the leapfrog development of the PLA's air combat capabilities."
The official revealed that some strategic assets from land, sea, and air, as well as hypersonic precision, unmanned and counter-unmanned equipment, will be displayed to the public for the first time.
The official further introduced that the weapons and equipment on display center primarily on new, fourth-generation models, such as new tanks, carrier-based aircraft, fighter jets, etc., arrayed by operational modules. Select land, sea, and air unmanned intelligent and counter-unmanned equipment, along with cyber-electronic warfare units, will also participate; for example, new unmanned directed weaponry, electronic jamming systems, etc. A batch of hypersonic, air defense and missile defense, and strategic missiles will make their collective debut, demonstrating the PLA’s powerful strategic deterrence.
The official also stated that on the eve of Army Day (August 1), Chairman of the Central Military Commission Xi Jinping signed an order releasing the design for four service branch flags, signifying that the PLA has established a new era flag system centered on the August 1 Army Flag, supplemented by service branch banners. For this parade, under the lead of the Party flag, national flag, and military flag, the participating formations will prominently feature the military flags and Armed Police banners, “This marks the first concentrated display of the PLA’s new force structure in a parade setting.”
This parade will follow the two-step process of a ceremony and a march past, lasting about 70 minutes. During the ceremony segment, the reviewed troops will line up on Chang'an Avenue and be inspected by Xi Jinping.
This year, China will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War, with a series of commemorative activities, the most anticipated of which is the September 3rd parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. At that time, Xi Jinping will review the troops and deliver a speech.