On the morning of 3/9, China held a military parade in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japanese fascism.

This was one of China's largest military parades to date, with over 10,000 troops, over 100 aircraft, and hundreds of ground vehicles participating. Some of the weapons were unveiled to the public for the first time.

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that all equipment displayed in the parade was domestically produced and had been commissioned into service.

Many world leaders, including President Luong Cuong, Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, and Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, attended the event.

"The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, and the cause of peace and development for humanity will prevail," Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the parade.

He then rode in a Chinese-made Hongqi limousine to review the troops before the soldiers and equipment paraded past the reviewing stand.

One of the weapons debuted at the parade was the DF-61 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the successor to the DF-41, which has a range of 12,000-15,000 km.

This weapon was displayed alongside the JL-1 air-launched ballistic missile, the JL-3 submarine-launched ballistic missile, and a new version of the DF-31 ICBM. Xinhua News Agency described this group of missiles as China's "trump card" for safeguarding national sovereignty and dignity.

The Type-100 4th-generation main battle tank also paraded past the reviewing stand. The Chinese military stated that this tank is equipped with an automatic turret, advanced radar, an active protection system (APS), and augmented reality technology.

Chinese media described the Type-100's turret as having a futuristic design, fitted with a 105 mm cannon, a coaxial machine gun, and a remotely operated weapon station.

This turret is the most significant difference between the Type-100 and previous generations, as older Chinese tanks used manned turrets with a commander and gunner inside.

The LY-1 laser weapon system, mounted on a warship, was also displayed. This was the first time China publicly revealed this powerful long-range directed energy weapon.

Laser cannons are directed energy weapons that use laser beams to destroy targets. They are considered an effective and low-cost solution for countering drones.

The parade also marked the debut of two extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles (XLUUVs).

The first, designated AJX002, is believed to be 18-20 m long and 1-1.5 m in diameter. The second model is of similar length but has a larger diameter of 2-3 m, and is equipped with two additional masts.

Observers believe they could be armed with torpedoes and mines for offensive missions or used for reconnaissance.

The YJ-17 missile was also showcased.

The "YJ" designation is typically used by China for anti-ship missiles. The YJ-17 is believed to be a variant of the DF-17, a medium-range ballistic missile equipped with a hypersonic glide vehicle that first appeared in 2014. The DF-17 is launched from land, while the YJ-17 is thought to be launched from vertical launch systems on warships.

Other anti-ship missiles present at the ceremony included the YJ-15, YJ-19, and YJ-20, all of which appear to be launchable from Chinese destroyers and frigates.

A formation of Chinese fighter jets flew over Tiananmen Square.

Around 100 aircraft were mobilized by the Chinese military for the parade, including advanced fighter jets like the J-35 and J-20, H-6 bombers, early warning aircraft, transport planes, and military helicopters.

Chinese helicopters formed the number 80 in the sky, symbolizing the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japanese fascism.

Other helicopters towed large banners with slogans such as "Peace will prevail," "The people will prevail," and "Justice will prevail."

The GJ-11 stealth drone was also displayed.

Produced by the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, the GJ-11 is designed for air-to-ground attack and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft has a flying wing design similar to the American B-2 bomber and has two internal weapon bays.

The PHL-16 multiple launch rocket system, also known as the PCL-191, is considered by China to be a peer competitor to the American HIMARS system, sharing a similar modular design and capable of firing a variety of munitions.

One such munition is the Fire Dragon 480 ballistic missile, which Beijing claims has a range of up to 500 km.

This was the first military parade held since Xi Jinping initiated the "new journey to pursue Chinese modernization on all fronts." In his speech at the event, Xi affirmed China's commitment to peaceful development, asserting that "the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable, and the cause of peace and development for humanity will prevail."

Pham Giang (Photos: China Daily, AFP, AP, Reuters)