- During his speech, President Xi Jinping of China announced he would reduce the country’s military personnel by 300,000.
- 12,000 officers and troops of the People’s Liberation Army marched along Chang’an Avenue by Tiananmen Square.
- More than 500 items of weaponry and about 200 aircraft were on display at the parade.
- New York Times correspondents observed the parade and the reaction to it. Here are some highlights.
Tanks on Tiananmen
Tanks rolling into Tiananmen pic.twitter.com/IokDotmPXx
— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) September 3, 2015
For many, tanks rolling by Tiananmen Square are associated with the violent crackdown in pro-democracy protests in Beijing in June 1989.
After the crackdown, an unarmed man briefly stopped a line of tanks on Chang’an Avenue. The scene, captured by foreign journalists, has become one the most powerful symbols of dissent in China. The man remains unidentified.
It's said the weapons presented at this parade are 100% made in China. Here's a quick look at the tanks. pic.twitter.com/LRR3hFqRz5
— Sarah Li 李卉 (@sarah900102) September 3, 2015