For the first time in commemoration history, China's peacekeeping forces will march through Beijing as part of Thursday's grand parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. The inclusion signals China's evolving role as a global security partner, blending historical remembrance with contemporary peacebuilding efforts.
Dressed in distinctive blue berets and UN insignia, the formation comprises personnel from ongoing missions across conflict zones. "Each step we take honors both our ancestors' sacrifices and our living comrades still serving abroad," said Major Zhang Wei, a veteran of six peacekeeping operations in Africa. The parade comes as China maintains over 2,000 peacekeepers deployed worldwide – the largest contribution among permanent UN Security Council members.
Analysts note the display underscores Beijing's growing emphasis on "military diplomacy" while commemorating a war that claimed over 35 million Chinese lives. The event coincides with renewed academic interest in Asia's anti-fascist history, particularly among diaspora communities preserving wartime oral histories.
For business observers, the parade's advanced military hardware displays offer insights into China's defense-industrial capabilities. However, the peacekeepers' prominence highlights parallel soft-power investments through UN participation – a dimension increasingly relevant for investors assessing geopolitical stability in developing markets.
