President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan join Russian President Vladimir Putin and other leaders and veterans to watch the Victory Day parade at Red Square on Saturday. Ju Peng / Xinhua

Russia celebrated the 70th anniversary of the victory over the Axis Forces and the end of World War II with a large-scale military parade at Red Square on Saturday. More than 16,000 soldiers marched through the square, watched by Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Xi Jinping, and about 20 other world leaders and heads of international organizations.

Military units from 10 countries participated in the parade. More than 100 Chinese service personnel took part, marking the first time that Chinese troops have marched in Red Square. The parade was followed by the march of the "Immortal Regiment", as about 300,000 people walked through the center of the Russian capital holding aloft photos and portraits of Russian and Chinese relatives who fought in the war.

Recalling the great sacrifices and contributions made by China and Russia, two main battlefields during WWII, Xi noted that by fighting shoulder to shoulder, the two peoples forged a profound friendship.

He added that the commemorations in Russia and later this year in China, are aimed at remembering history and paying tribute to martyrs while safeguarding the hard-earned peace and ushering in a bright future for peace and development of all mankind.

"We stand ready to deepen the traditional friendship with the Russian people, promote coordination of our strategies of development, chart the future course for our friendly cooperation, and keep the China-Russia comprehensive strategic coordination partnership operating at a high level," Xi said.

Xinhua - China Daily