CHINA held a large-scale rehearsal for the Sept. 3 military parade from Saturday evening to yesterday morning in Tian’anmen Square and along the Chang’an Avenue in downtown Beijing.

    More than 10,000 servicemen and servicewomen, about 500 military vehicles and nearly 200 aircraft attended the rehearsal, according to a military source.

    All formations, including foreign troops and World War II veterans, were present while about 35,000 guests observed the parade.

    The rehearsal was “smooth and orderly” and achieved the expected results, the source said.

    The upcoming parade will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

    It will be the first time China commemorates the hard-fought war with a military parade, and also the first time foreign armies are invited to participate in China’s parades.

    China’s strategic missile force, the Second Artillery Forces (SAC) will display seven types of missiles in the military parade Sept. 3.

    Organized into six armament formations, the weaponry includes long-range, intermediate-range, and short-range missiles as well as conventional and nuclear missiles, said the source.

    The source did not reveal the specific types of missiles, but said “the scale and number of the missiles will surpass any previous outing.”

    “Our missile weaponry has seen great advances, in terms of firing range, strike methods, accuracy and mobility,” said the source.

    A senior military official said Friday that 84 percent of armaments to be displayed in the military parade have never been viewed by the public before.

    The SAC made its first public appearance Oct. 1, 1984, when New China celebrated the 35th anniversary of its founding. After that, it has been a popular section of every military parade.

    During the National Day parade in 2009, China showcased five types of missiles, including DF31A, a long-range intercontinental ballistic missile.

    For the first time, the female guards of honor will attend the parade Sept. 3. A total of 51 servicewomen from the Army, Navy and Air Force will march alongside with 156 male honor guards, 17 in each line.

    On average, they are 20 years old and 1.78 meters in height.

    The servicewomen are the first females in the 63-year history of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) honor guards. They have been in active service since last May.

    In the Sept. 3 parade, the PLA will dispatch the largest ever honor guard formation.

    For the most formal occasions, such as the visit of a foreign head of the state, there are normally 151 honor guards from the army, navy and air force at the welcome ceremony.

    A 102-strong Chinese honor guard unit attended the V-Day parade in Moscow on May 9.

    For the upcoming parade, the honor guards will aim at a higher standard and put up an even better performance, said Han Jie, leading officer of the honor guard formation.

    (Xinhua)