Item 1 of 5 Soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China attend a training ahead of a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, August 20, 2025. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
BEIJING, Aug 22 (Reuters) – Airport scanners at office entrances, road closures for large-scale midnight rehearsals, drones banned, guards stationed 24/7 on all overpasses: Beijing has effectively paralysed its urban core for a 70-minute military parade on September 3.
The “Victory Day” parade, marking the end of World War Two following Japan’s formal surrender, will be a projection of China’s growing military might amid deep-seated mistrust in the West, geopolitical uncertainty with the United States and territorial rows with neighbouring countries.
