An 80-minute military parade is set to take place showcasing Chinese military hardware developed over the past 70 years. According to the deputy head of the office of the leading group for the military parade, Cai Zhijun, the parade is to be the biggest Chinese parade ever held.
China's President Xi Jinping delivered a speech as he attended the event. In his speech the president stressed that China will stay on the path of peaceful development, noting that that the military will safeguard the country's sovereignty and security. He also said that the country must maintain lasting prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macau as well as to promote the peaceful development of relations with self-ruled Taiwan.