By Li Jie

Photo: VCG

 To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Beijing will hold a grand celebration, which will be followed by a military parade and pageantry at Tiananmen Square on October 1, the National Day. The scale of the military parade will be greater than the ones for the 50th and 60th founding anniversaries, as well as the V-Day military parade in 2015. Why will China organize a military parade on such a massive scale?

Another large-scale military parade at Tiananmen Square in the aftermath of the one on V-Day in 2015 can show China's current national strength, especially its advancement in defense and military might. It will reveal China's progress in weaponry, air and ground forces. The show of national defense will inspire the Chinese people and deepen their faith and confidence in the country. 

Besides, it will deter those countries which have regarded China as a strategic rival. These countries have attempted to contain China's economic development, provoke it militarily, and create trouble for China by making an issue of the maritime affairs. The military parade will demonstrate to the international community that China's rise cannot be contained and the country will become stronger. 

Cai Zhijun, deputy head of the office of the leading group for the military parade, said at a press conference in late August that the parade is not aimed at any other country or specific situations. Yet some Western media outlets still underline the backdrop of the US-launched trade war against China, strained China-US ties, protests in Hong Kong and the approaching 2020 Taiwan regional leadership election. Some observers say Beijing may intend to flex some muscle to Washington through the military parade on the National Day.

Actually, China celebrates the National Day every 10 years with a grand ceremony and a smaller one every five years. The parade has nothing to do with the events taking place now. 

Hong Kong protests began in June. The trade war has experienced ups and downs for over one year and a half and fresh negotiations are to be held in October. Beijing sticks to certain principles in addressing the trade war with Washington for the sake of protecting normal trade relations between countries. It won't resort to military means to solve trade disputes. Even though the US has repeatedly provoked China over the Hong Kong, Taiwan and South China Sea issues, China's parade is not intended to flex military muscle to the US.

During the military parade, weapons and equipment which are to be displayed will become the focus of attention. The most sophisticated, advanced and powerful ones such as the DF-series intercontinental-range ballistic missiles will draw the most attention.

China has consistently taken the road of peaceful development over the past decades and its peaceful rise is of great importance to the world. This Asian power has developed into a major force in defending global peace, security and development and its role will be increasingly important and pivotal. Without a rising and powerful China, the world would be less stable and more vulnerable to hegemony and power politics. The peaceful rise of China has played a solid role in checking the forces that threaten global peace and stability.

The author is a Chinese military and naval expert based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn