The stage is set in the heart of Beijing for a grand display of power and military might that has been choreographed by President Xi Jinping. Eight huge Chinese flags flutter and flank the portrait of Mao Zedong, the founder of Communist China, which sits on top of the Gate of Heavenly Peace overlooking Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world.
Below are rows of seats reserved for 26 foreign heads of state, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, whose attendance is a diplomatic win for Xi. Across the road, near the Great Hall of the People, two huge floral arrangements commemorating the end of World War II rise up alongside seating for around 50,000 invitees.
On the last day of preparations - Monday - Chang'an Avenue, the multi-lane road that cuts through the square was once again open to the public. Drivers and cyclists held their phones aloft trying their best to capture the scene. Ostensibly the parade marks 80 years of Japan's surrender in the war, and China's victory against an occupying force. But it's so much more than that for President Xi.
This is a big week for him, with quite a few firsts. He enticed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit China over the weekend for the first time in seven years, rebooting a key economic and strategic relationship. More than 20 world leaders attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which just concluded - its largest ever gathering. And a North Korean leader will attend a Chinese military parade for the first time since 1959.
The Chinese leader is having his moment in the spotlight. The SCO summit in Tianjin has allowed him to project power and offer a vision of a new world order which he hopes will challenge the United States. Now attention turns to the parade in Beijing, which will showcase his country's growing ability to rival the US in any conflict. The leaders of Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and other central Asian countries will witness precise troop formations and get a glimpse of what authorities say will be new hypersonic weapons and unmanned underwater drones. The only western leaders on the guest list are from Serbia and Slovakia.
Kim Jong Un is a surprise addition - his attendance was only announced at the end of last week - and his armoured train will add to the spectacle. Xi is expected to have both Kim and Putin by his side, which will inevitably lead to western headlines describing them as the axis of upheaval.
While the parade is a show of China's strength and Xi's influence as a world leader, there is also a clear domestic message: pride and patriotism. China describes World War II as the 'people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression', although much of the resistance was not from the Communist Party.
In the run-up to the anniversary, several films depicting this struggle have been box office hits. State media has been publishing reports to 'foster a right view of WWII history'. The campaign has caused some friction with Japan, as Beijing lodged a protest with Tokyo over reports that Japan had asked European and Asian governments not to attend the parade.
This seems to be part of a rallying cry as China struggles with a sluggish economy and youth unemployment. The fear that dissent could spill into the streets is driving extra-cautious preparations within Beijing. Guards have been stationed 24/7 to prevent protests, and security measures have intensified.
China's government hopes that this display of military might will help bolster national pride amid rising discontent over economic woes. As the country prepares for this historic event, it remains to be seen what kind of impact it will have both domestically and on the world stage.
Below are rows of seats reserved for 26 foreign heads of state, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, whose attendance is a diplomatic win for Xi. Across the road, near the Great Hall of the People, two huge floral arrangements commemorating the end of World War II rise up alongside seating for around 50,000 invitees.
On the last day of preparations - Monday - Chang'an Avenue, the multi-lane road that cuts through the square was once again open to the public. Drivers and cyclists held their phones aloft trying their best to capture the scene. Ostensibly the parade marks 80 years of Japan's surrender in the war, and China's victory against an occupying force. But it's so much more than that for President Xi.
This is a big week for him, with quite a few firsts. He enticed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit China over the weekend for the first time in seven years, rebooting a key economic and strategic relationship. More than 20 world leaders attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which just concluded - its largest ever gathering. And a North Korean leader will attend a Chinese military parade for the first time since 1959.
The Chinese leader is having his moment in the spotlight. The SCO summit in Tianjin has allowed him to project power and offer a vision of a new world order which he hopes will challenge the United States. Now attention turns to the parade in Beijing, which will showcase his country's growing ability to rival the US in any conflict. The leaders of Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Mongolia, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and other central Asian countries will witness precise troop formations and get a glimpse of what authorities say will be new hypersonic weapons and unmanned underwater drones. The only western leaders on the guest list are from Serbia and Slovakia.
Kim Jong Un is a surprise addition - his attendance was only announced at the end of last week - and his armoured train will add to the spectacle. Xi is expected to have both Kim and Putin by his side, which will inevitably lead to western headlines describing them as the axis of upheaval.
While the parade is a show of China's strength and Xi's influence as a world leader, there is also a clear domestic message: pride and patriotism. China describes World War II as the 'people's war of resistance against Japanese aggression', although much of the resistance was not from the Communist Party.
In the run-up to the anniversary, several films depicting this struggle have been box office hits. State media has been publishing reports to 'foster a right view of WWII history'. The campaign has caused some friction with Japan, as Beijing lodged a protest with Tokyo over reports that Japan had asked European and Asian governments not to attend the parade.
This seems to be part of a rallying cry as China struggles with a sluggish economy and youth unemployment. The fear that dissent could spill into the streets is driving extra-cautious preparations within Beijing. Guards have been stationed 24/7 to prevent protests, and security measures have intensified.
China's government hopes that this display of military might will help bolster national pride amid rising discontent over economic woes. As the country prepares for this historic event, it remains to be seen what kind of impact it will have both domestically and on the world stage.
