Out in force: PLA and guest troops rehearse for September 3 military parade
PLA troops to march with counterparts not only from Russia and Cuba but also Fiji and Mexico
Fighter jets flew low over Beijing on Sunday as thousands of soldiers from China, Russia and other countries rehearsed for a military parade next month commemorating the end of the second world war in Asia.
The September 3 parade will showcase the People's Liberation Army's rapidly growing capabilities at a time when Beijing is asserting territorial claims in the East and South China seas.
The city centre was closed to the public, but photos on social media showed Chinese missile carriers rolling through Tiananmen Square and troops carrying the flags of Cuba, Fiji, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Pakistan. Military helicopters flew over forming the number "70".
More than 10,000 Chinese military personnel with more than 500 vehicles and some 200 aircraft took part in the rehearsal, Xinhua reported.
The Chinese military plans to show seven types of long-, intermediate- and short-range missiles at the parade, Xinhua said. It cited a military official as saying that 84 per cent of armaments to be displayed had not been shown in public before.
Belarus, Kazakhstan and Mexico also plan to take part, according to state media.