China plans to hold a large scale military parade in order to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and, reportedly, to “frighten Japan.”
Its last such military shows were in 1999 and 2009, held then “to mark the 50th and 60th anniversaries of the October 1 establishment of the People’s Republic of China.” Both of these were held on National Day; the date for the upcoming parade has not been announced.
According to DefenseNews.com, Chinese finance and global affairs commentator Hu Zhanhao wrote an article in the People’s Daily newspaper claiming China wants “to frighten Japan and declare to the world China’s determination to maintain the post-war world order.”
Zhanhao added:
Only by showing its military capabilities can [China] show Japan its attitude and determination and let it know that whoever dares to challenge the post-war order related to China and touch China’s core interests is its enemy and must be psychologically prepared for China’s strong counterattack.
WeChat, a People’s Daily messaging account, quotes Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying saying, “China is concerned about the attitude adopted by the Japanese government regarding their history of aggression.”
They are watching to see what signals Japan sends to the world in its own World War II commemorations.
She said China hopes Japan will “recognize and reflect on its aggression history, follow the path of peaceful development, win trust from the international society through concrete actions and play a constructive role in safeguarding peace and stability in the region.”
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