Proud to be here, says Kazakh commander

At least 10 countries in Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Americas are sending military contingents and representatives to the Sept 3 military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the victory of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

The event at Tian'anmen Square in the heart of Beijing is the first time China has honored the hard-fought war with a military parade, and the first time foreign armies have been invited to participate in a Chinese parade, organizers said.

The foreign troops already are training with their Chinese counterparts in suburban Beijing, Qu Rui, deputy chief of the Operations Department of the General Staff Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army, told reporters during a media briefing on Friday.

Participating in the parade is an honor for the Kazakh soldiers, said Maskad Bayzhigitov, commander of the honor guard for the three branches of Kazakhstan's armed forces, all which will attend the parade.

The Sept 3 date is a festival for both the Chinese and the Kazakh people "since our grandfathers' generation once fought hand in hand against fascism", he said.

"Every member of the guard of honor will present to the whole world the majesty and tenacity of the Kazakh army," Bayzhigitov said.

Jose Carlos Luna Loaeza, captain of the Secretariat of the Mexican Navy General Corps and commander of the naval and military contingent to China, said that he felt tremendously proud to be included in the first parade to include foreign forces.

The Mexican delegation is composed of 75 people, including a captain, three officers and 71 cadets from Mexico's naval school, military and air force colleges. Each school will be represented by an officer and cadets.

"With this event, we want to help Mexico become a player with global responsibility," said Loaeza, adding that the trip will increase relations between the two armed forces and the two countries.

Galina Kulikova, first vice-president of the Russia-China Friendship Association, earlier stressed the importance of the upcoming commemorative events. They are a valuable history lesson for the youngsters of Russia and China about World War II, and a way to deepen the friendship between the countries while contributing to global peace, Kulikova said.

"Russia and China, as two main forces fighting in WWII in the Western and Oriental battlefields, came through great hardships and won the war with terrible loss of human lives," Kulikova said.

The parade shows "our countries stand against falsification of the results of WWII", Kulikova said.

Russia's 154th Preobrazhensy Commandant's regiment, consisting of 85 members, will march through Tian'anmen Square during the parade and be reviewed by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Foreign soldiers training in Beijing are provided with buffet meals in both Chinese and Western styles and free Wi-Fi. Their dormitories are equipped with laundry rooms, phones, foreign exchange services as well as football fields and swimming pools. Buses have been arranged for group outings, organizers said at Friday's briefing.

(China Daily 08/24/2015 page3)