World News
China holds lavish parade to mark WWII anniversary─── 09:32 Thu, 03 Sep 2015
Beijing - China has held a lavish parade in Beijing to mark the defeat of Japan in World War Two, showcasing its military might on an unprecedented scale.
In his opening speech President Xi Jinping paid tribute to "the Chinese people who unwaveringly fought hard and defeated aggression" from Japan.
He also said the People's Liberation Army would be reduced by 300 000 personnel, but gave no timeframe. China's growing military power is being watched keenly amid regional tension.
The country has several territorial disputes with neighbours in the South China Sea, as well as with Japan in the East China Sea.
More than 30 foreign government officials and heads of state, including South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon attended the event, but many Western leaders and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have stayed away.
BBC