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Big N-day event to be held at Tiananmen Square today
BEIJING:THE PLA’S military parade on Tuesday to mark the 70th year of the founding of new China under the Communist party’s rule will offer a rare glimpse into the country’s arsenal of weapons and its expanding geopolitical ambitions.
The new weaponry to be displayed is expected to include the nuclear missile Dongfeng-41, which has a range of over 12,000km and is capable of delivering 10 nuclear warheads.
Western media reports said the missile can reach the US in just half an hour.
The 80-minute parade on Tuesday will involve 15,000 troops, more than 160 aircraft and 580 pieces of military equipment, according to China’s defence ministry spokesperson Cai Zhijun.
Many new weapons “will be shown for the first time”, Cai told reporters last week. Asked whether that would include the Dongfeng-41, Cai said, “Please wait and see.”
A total of 32 armament formations will join the parade, including those of land combat operations, maritime combat operations, air defence and missile defence.
Bombers, naval aircraft, fighters and other weaponry will fly in 12 air echelons, Cai said.
The Communist Party of China (CPC) is trying to ensure that images from the parade - to be overseen by CPC general secretary and Chinese President Xi Jinping - reach the widest possible audience.
The government has said Tuesday’s parade isn’t about China flexing its muscles. “China has no intention or need to flex its muscles in the military parade,” said Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the ministry of national defence. The parade will highlight Beijing's ambition to enforce claims to Taiwan, the South China Sea and other disputed territories
The ability to project its power is becoming increasingly urgent for Chinese leaders who want to control shipping lanes and waters also claimed by Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines