International Department of the CPC Central Committee       BEIJING REVIEW
Thursday, August 3, 2017       MONTHLY
Marching Forward
By Lu Yan 

 

President Xi Jinping, also General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, reviews troops (XINHUA)

Qu Yanping, a 52-year-old retiree, almost cried as she watched the military parade at the Zhurihe military training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on July 30 on TV.

It was the first time that Army Day was commemorated with a military parade since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Over 12,000 soldiers and a broad array of weapons and military equipment were reviewed by Xi in 45 formations at Zhurihe military training base.

"I'm so proud of the soldiers and my country," Qu said.

 

Troops assemble for review (XINHUA)

The parade epitomized China's ongoing military reform, which stresses quality over quantity and science and technology-intensive development over one that is manpower-intensive. The troops are becoming increasingly flexible and multi-functional.

At the founding ceremony of the PRC on October 1, 1949, there were only 17 planes on display and most of the military equipment, seized in battles, was made abroad.

Since then, China's military equipment has been upgraded step by step. At the National Day parade in 1984, made-in-China equipment dominated. At the parade celebrating the PRC's 50th anniversary, 95 percent of the displayed equipment was made domestically. At the parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War in 2015, all the equipment was made in China.

At the military parade before the 90th Army Day, more than 100 airplanes of various types as well as 600 sets of ground equipment were put on display, 40 percent of which were shown for the first time.

One of the most impressive displays was a trio of the latest J-20 stealth fighters, leading a formation of 15 fighter aircraft. The J-20, China's indigenous fourth-generation medium and long-range fighter jet, made its maiden flight in 2011 and was first publicly displayed at the 11th Airshow China in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, in November 2016.

An echelon of J-20 stealth fighters flys over the parade ground (XINHUA)

"The enlisting of China's fourth-generation fighter jets brings fundamental changes to the rules of the game in air battles," Wang Mingzhi, a professor at the PLA Air Force Command College, told Xinhua News Agency. "It will also draw the curtain on transformation in the PLA Air Force."

"Although the scale of the parade is not enormous, it is of great significance," Wang Chuanbao, a professor at the Institute of Political Studies at the PLA National Defense University, wrote in an opinion piece published on China.com.cn.

Contrary to suggestions in some media reports, the parade was not a show of strength, but a reminder that China, as a staunch defender of peace, is determined to fight aggression and any attempt to split the nation. It was also an indication that the country's modernization and revitalization process will not be allowed to be disturbed.

"This was a grand event after the deepening of military reform. It was not just a show, but an actual maneuver and practice, a demonstration of the PLA's ability to safeguard peace," Wang Chuanbao said, adding that a strong military force can effectively defend peace and prevent war.

"The PLA, undergoing reforms, will never surrender to outside threats. This is the most important signal the parade has sent," he emphasized.

 

Nuclear missiles are reviewed (XINHUA)

Apart from the military parade, many other events have been organized to celebrate the PLA's 90th founding anniversary. Provinces organized theme-based activities for veterans; art exhibitions were opened and commemorative stamps issued. A film, The Founding of An Army, was released to mark the event.

Sun Hongyan, an army man from Jilin Public Security and Border Defense Corps in northeast China, watched director Andrew Lau's film intently. "As an officer, from my personal experience I can see every soldier's love for the country and determination to serve the country," he said. "It's the dedication and sense of responsibility of individual soldiers that build a strong army. We will continue to do our best to complete each assigned task, be it big or small."

 

Tanks lead the land operation troops (XINHUA)

Parade Paraphernalia

Besides the J-20, J-16 fighters, a two-seat, dual-engine multi-role aircraft with beyond-visual-range air-to-air and air-to-ship strike capabilities, and the Y-20 heavy transport aircraft, a versatile plane with a maximum takeoff weight of about 200 tons, designed to carry cargo and personnel over long distances in complicated weather conditions, were among the new aircraft debuting at the PLA parade on July 30.

The PLA Rocket Force showed five models of China's homemade conventional and nuclear missiles. They included the Dongfeng-26 ballistic missile, which can be fired at short notice and fitted with a nuclear warhead; the Dongfeng-21D land-based anti-ship ballistic missile described as a "carrier killer;" and the Dongfeng-16G conventional missile designed for precision strikes against key enemy targets.

As electronic warfare has become a key means of combat in modern warfare, some of the latest military hardware for electronic warfare was shown to the public too. The warfare equipment can disrupt enemy radar and communication in air defense and field battles.

The parade also showcased two electronic reconnaissance vehicle models, a Y-8 electronic jamming aircraft, and a group of military drones that can paralyze and suppress enemy early-warning and command communication systems.

 

A Marine Corps formation passes by the reviewing stand (XINHUA)

Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar

Comments to luyan@bjreview.com

About Us    |    Contact Us    |    Advertise with Us    |    Subscribe
Partners: China.org.cn   |   China Today   |   China Pictorial   |   People's Daily Online   |   Women of China   |   Xinhua News Agency   |   China Daily
CGTN   |   China Tibet Online   |   China Radio International   |   Global Times   |   Qiushi
Copyright Beijing Review All rights reserved 京ICP备08005356号 京公网安备110102005860