Dozens of children decked out in mini military outfits marched in formation through a Beijing shopping mall on Thursday in a cut-down homage to the September 3 second world war anniversary parade, news portal 163.com reports.

Some of the children battled under the weight of toy guns in what mall management said was part of regular National Day events to instil a revolutionary spirit and teach children about those who died during the war.

The children formed divisions along the lines of those that took part in the anniversary parade, and keen parents snapped pictures as their boy and girl soldiers marched on past.