Troops gather for parade

Most of the weapons shown in the event to be on public display for the first time

More than 10 countries will send armed service members to march in Tian'anmen Square to mark the 70th anniversary of victory in World War II, said a senior officer from the People's Liberation Army.

"Their participation is a clear indication of the hope of jointly commemorating the victory of the world anti-fascist war, and a symbol of the pursuit and aspiration for enduring world peace," Major General Qu Rui, deputy director of the PLA General Staff Headquarters' Combat Operations Department and deputy head of the PLA Parade Leading Team, said at a news conference in Beijing on Friday afternoon.