China showcases arms, ambitions

Beijing hosts huge parade; Xi says ‘no force can shake’ China’s foundation

BEIJING: China on Tuesday brought out its big guns and even bigger nuclear missiles to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the country under Communist rule in a massive military parade where President Xi Jinping said no “force can shake the status of this great nation”.

Xi, who is also the Communist Party of China’s (CPC) general secretary, was flanked by past party heads Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin as he delivered the speech from a rostrum over the Tiananmen Square.

He oversaw the parade comprising 15,000 personnel drawn from across the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and a display of weapons including the unveiling of the DF-41 intercontinental nuclear missile, with a range of 12000-14000km, and hypersonic drones.

China also unveiled a stealth attack drone, the latest bomber, H-6N with refuelling capacity and the DF-17 ballistic missile, which is said to of hypersonic speed with high penetration capability.

“There is no force that can shake the foundation of this great nation,” Xi said, adding, “No force that can stop the Chinese people and the Chinese nation forging ahead”.

Xi delivered the speech from the same place where the iconic leader Mao Zedong did in 1949.

Xi said China “must adhere” to the “one country, two systems” policy governing Hong Kong and “maintain the long-term prosperity and stability” of the city.

After delivering his speech at the parade on Tuesday, Xi boarded a black open-roof limousine to review the PLA formations.

■ PLA personnel participate in a military parade at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing to mark the 70th year of the founding of the PRC.

AFP AFP ■ Military aircraft on display at the event in Beijing on Tuesday.

AFP ■ Chinese President Xi Jinping reviews troops from a car during a parade in Beijing.