Beijing, Sep 2 (PTI) China is all set to flaunt its growing diplomatic and military might on Wednesday when it will display for the first time its modern fighter jets, missiles and latest electronic warfare hardware at the country's largest-ever military parade to be attended by 26 foreign leaders.

The event in which hundreds of troops will take part was to commemorate the 80th anniversary of China's victory against “Japanese aggression” in World War II.

Besides the weapons, the parade assumes significance as 26 foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and the leaders from Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and Central Asia will attend it.

From India's neighbourhood, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will attend the parade.

Kim arrived in Beijing by train on his second visit to China since 2019 and the first after rumours of a rift between the two close allies over the reclusive leader's attempts to move past China’s stranglehold on him by building closer ties with Putin, including sending troops to take part in the Ukraine war.

Xi, Putin and Kim's presence together in Beijing, especially at a military parade, was seen as an attempt by China to send a strong message to the US and its President Donald Trump, who tried to woo both Putin and Kim to take them into Washington’s fold.

Their meeting in Beijing followed the high-profile summit of the 10-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Tianjin, which was dominated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with Xi and Putin against the backdrop of Trump clamping 50 per cent tariffs against India for buying Russian oil.

The presence of foreign leaders at the parade commemorating China's war of resistance against Japanese aggression in World War II has become a diplomatic spat between Japan and China after Tokyo urged the world leaders to refrain from attending.

China has lodged a diplomatic protest with Japan for its request to the world leaders not to attend the event.

China is making all-out efforts to showcase its global influence and military might, seen as an attempt to boost the profile of Xi.

It is seen as a rival parade to the rare one held by the US military in June to showcase its strength.

Gearing up for the parade, Beijing is decked up to host the event at the historic Tiananmen Square, where 26 foreign leaders will witness Xi taking the salute from a special podium and deliver a speech.

The secretive Chinese military also wants to make the best of the occasion by displaying for the first time its high-profile modern weapons, which, the PLA claims, match those of the US army.

Hundreds of journalists from China and around teh world have been invited to attend the parade marked by heavy security.

During the parade, stated to be the largest parade held by the People's Liberation Army (PLA), China will showcase a series of new-generation armaments, such as fourth-generation tanks and aircraft, unmanned intelligence and counter-unmanned equipment, and advanced missiles, including hypersonic ones, Wu Zeke, a senior officer of the Joint Staff Department of the Central Military Commission (CMC), in-charge of the parade, was quoted by state-run Xinhua news agency.

All the armaments to be displayed are domestically made and in active service, he said.

Directed-energy weapons and electronic jamming systems will also be displayed, he said.

In addition, the parade will feature other types of advanced equipment such as hypersonic and air defence anti-missile equipment and strategic missiles, which will demonstrate China's strategic deterrence capability, Wu said.

With a high level of informatisation and intelligence, the weapons and equipment to be displayed will fully demonstrate the capability of the Chinese armed forces to adapt to sci-tech development and the evolution of war forms, and to win future wars, he said.

The display will fully demonstrate the Chinese military's strong ability to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, as well as to uphold world peace, he added. PTI KJV ZH ZH