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(President Xi Jinping visits the troops in Fujian province three years ago. He will address the armed forces at an Inner Mongolian training base on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

Xi to address troops in landmark anniversary military parade in northern China

President Xi Jinping will address troops in a landmark speech on Sunday when the world’s biggest army holds a parade at a training base in Inner Mongolia to mark its 90th anniversary, state media reported on Saturday.

PLA Daily reported that Xi, who also chairs the top Central Military Commission, would inspect the troops at the Zhurihe Combined Tactics Training Base, 400km northwest of Beijing.

It is understood to be Xi’s first trip to the base, where elite troops have held large-scale war games every summer since 2012.

The announcement of Xi’s appearance confirmed a South China Morning Post report on Monday.

Xinhua said the event would begin at 9am and be broadcast live by China National Radio, CCTV and China Radio International.

Elite Chinese troops have held large-scale war games at the Zhurihe Combined Tactics Training Base every summer since 2012. Photo: Handout

A source close to the military said it would involve in a range of troops from cyberwarfare to air force personnel.

A squadron of J-20 stealth fighters, which went into service in March, was also likely to feature, the source said.

There are no details on how many of the fighters are in service but Chinese military plane spotters have posted photos online of five J-20s in the airspace above Shanxi province.

At an international air show in Changchun, Jilin province, on Friday, PLA Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke said more J-20s would “show up in the near future”.

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