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2nd Ld: Over ten countries to join China’s V-Day parade

The parade is widely seen as a public display of the People’s Liberation Army’s fast-growing capabilities, and comes as China is becoming more active in asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea and the East China Sea.

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Foreign troops have already arrived to the parade’s training base and are now training with their Chinese counterparts, he said.

The parade is part of a series of high-level events organised to mark Japan’s defeat 70 years ago.

While President Pranab Mukherjee headed the Indian delegation, a contingent of Indian troops also took part in the parade.

The Chinese event has evoked guarded response as it was at highlighting the excesses committed by Japanese troops in China over which Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed “deepest remorse” and “sincere condolences” to Japan’s wartime victims.

“Their participation in the parade is a clear indication of their attitude of commemorating the victory of the world anti-fascist war jointly, and a symbol of the aspiration for and pursuit of enduring world peace”, Qu said.

Chinese authorities have banned Beijing residents from opening veranda doors and windows during the upcoming Victory Day parade on September 3, and have prohibited them from allowing guests into their buildings, according to reports.

However, Qu did not reveal the names of the other countries that will send troops to the military parade, saying, “The detailed information on foreign formations, representative teams and delegations will be informed in due time”.

A few leaders have confirmed their attendance, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, who staged a similar military parade in May boycotted by many Western leaders.

President Park’s decision to attend the Beijing celebration reinforces her efforts to nurture a positive relationship with China, South Korea’s largest trading partner. Thus, September 3 was declared the Victory Day for China.

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Asked whether there was an anti-Japanese element to the parade, Qu said the war had brought great suffering to both the people of Japan and of Asia, but that the event aimed to look toward the future.

Taro Aso