China Stages Massive Night Rehearsals for September 3 Victory Parade, Deploying Up to 40,000 Troops

At the heart of the display is the 三军仪仗队, the Three‑Services Honor Guard. Two hundred and seven soldiers form the 护旗方队, the flag‑guarding formation that will carry the national standard during the ceremony. Within that squad, three officers serve as flag bearers, a role that has drawn admiration on Chinese social‑media platforms, where netizens posted clips of the precise, almost ceremonial movements. The unit is drawn from the 北京卫戍区警卫某师仪仗大队, a brigade tasked specifically with training and fielding elite honor‑guard contingents.

Flanking the honor guard are the 英模部队方队, a collection of ten “heroic model” units. Each unit is composed of 359 troops, organized into three 端枪方队 (rifle‑carrying formations) and seven 挂枪方队 (rifle‑slung formations). Their purpose is to showcase the best‑trained, best‑equipped infantry formations from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Armed Police Force. Alongside them, a motorcycle escort formation of 45 riders on domestically produced bikes wheels forward to shepherd two vehicle columns through the square, underscoring the home‑grown nature of China’s military hardware.

The rehearsals also featured a full spectrum of parade elements—徒步方队 (foot formations), 装备方队 (equipment formations) and 空中梯队 (air echelons). While the detailed order of battle remains classified, the inclusion of unmanned, hypersonic and network‑centric platforms has been hinted at in official statements, signaling the PLA’s intention to demonstrate cutting‑edge combat capabilities alongside the traditional infantry and armor contingents.

Public reaction to the drills has been intense and overwhelmingly positive. Hashtags such as #九三阅兵演练现场# and #中国军人的脚步声太齐了# trended on Weibo, with users posting videos of the synchronized footfalls that have become a metaphor for national unity and discipline. Comments ranged from simple awe—“the footsteps of Chinese soldiers are so uniform”—to more emotive reflections on history: “抗日的先辈们！这盛世如你所愿！没人敢欺负我们了” (“Our anti‑Japanese ancestors! This prosperous era is as you wished! No one dares to bully us any more”). Such language reveals how the parade is not merely a display of firepower but a ritual of collective memory, linking contemporary military prowess to the victories of the past.

The significance of the rehearsals extends beyond the emotional resonance of marching troops. Politically, the massive, meticulously coordinated event serves as a concrete demonstration of the Communist Party’s ability to mobilize resources and manage complex logistics, reinforcing the narrative of a strong, unified state. By spotlighting the October 3 parade as a commemoration of the anti‑Japanese war, the Party also solidifies its historical legitimacy, positioning itself as the guardian of the nation’s victorious legacy.

International observers are watching the preparations closely. While the parade itself is primarily a domestic affair, its scale and the inclusion of advanced weaponry function as a subtle signal to foreign capitals about China’s growing military confidence. The earlier 2015 parade, which marked the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, was used by Beijing to project itself as a responsible power championing peace while showcasing its modernized forces. The upcoming ceremony is expected to follow a similar script, albeit with an even larger contingent of newly developed systems.

Socially, the drills have generated a mixture of pride and temporary inconvenience. Large sections of central Beijing were cordoned off for security, leading to traffic snarls and the temporary closure of nearby businesses. Yet the disruptions appear to have been tolerated, if not embraced, as part of the collective national moment. The heightened security presence—additional surveillance, checkpoints and a visible police presence—has also reminded citizens of the state’s capacity for swift, large‑scale enforcement.

For China’s defense industry, the parade is an invaluable platform. Showcasing domestically produced motorcycles, next‑generation artillery, unmanned aerial systems, and hypersonic weapons sends a clear message to both domestic and foreign markets: China’s military‑industrial complex can deliver cutting‑edge technology without reliance on external suppliers. The logistical feat of moving tens of thousands of troops, vehicles and equipment through the heart of the capital also underscores the country's capacity for rapid mobilization—a point that will not be lost on potential buyers of Chinese defence exports.

Preparation for the September 3 event continues unabated. The state news agency Xinhua plans to field nearly 400 reporters across more than 100 locations, from the top of the Tiananmen Gate Tower to the length of Chang’an Street, ensuring that every moment will be captured for both domestic consumption and international audiences. As the final days of rehearsal unfold, the focus remains on perfecting timing, communication and the seamless transition between the ceremonial and operational components of the parade. The stakes are high: the event will be the first grand celebration of the Anti‑Japanese War under the auspices of the People’s Republic, a historic milestone that the Party hopes will reinforce national cohesion and project a vision of a peaceful yet powerful China.

In short, what began as a series of night‑time rehearsals has become a national focal point, merging military precision, historical remembrance and political messaging. Whether observed from a balcony in the capital or streamed on a smartphone in a small town, the September 3 parade promises to be more than a display of uniforms and hardware; it is a stage on which China stages its narrative of past triumph, present strength and future ambition.