File photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Beijing:
China is making the 70th anniversary of the Japanese surrender in World War II a public holiday, the government said Wednesday, as Beijing prepares a massive military parade to mark the occasion.
September 3 has been officially declared "The 70th anniversary of Chinese People's Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti-Fascist War Victory Commemoration Day", China's name for World War II.
The move was made "for the broad participation of the entire nation in the central and regional commemoration activities", said a notice on the government's official website.
Beijing is planning a huge military parade to commemorate victory over Japanese forces as well as the broader defeat of the Axis powers, with Russian troops expected to participate for the first time.
A final date for the event has not been announced, but the public holiday statement implies it will be on September 3, the day after Japan signed the official instrument of surrender.
It also suggested that the holiday would be a one-off.
Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have remained icy amid Chinese accusations that Japan has failed to fully acknowledge wartime atrocities and territorial disputes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Moscow last week to attend Russia's commemorative parade, which saw more than 16,000 troops, including soldiers from China, India, Mongolia, Serbia and several ex-Soviet states march through Red Square.
September 3 has been officially declared "The 70th anniversary of Chinese People's Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti-Fascist War Victory Commemoration Day", China's name for World War II.
The move was made "for the broad participation of the entire nation in the central and regional commemoration activities", said a notice on the government's official website.
Beijing is planning a huge military parade to commemorate victory over Japanese forces as well as the broader defeat of the Axis powers, with Russian troops expected to participate for the first time.
A final date for the event has not been announced, but the public holiday statement implies it will be on September 3, the day after Japan signed the official instrument of surrender.
It also suggested that the holiday would be a one-off.
Relations between Beijing and Tokyo have remained icy amid Chinese accusations that Japan has failed to fully acknowledge wartime atrocities and territorial disputes.
Chinese President Xi Jinping was in Moscow last week to attend Russia's commemorative parade, which saw more than 16,000 troops, including soldiers from China, India, Mongolia, Serbia and several ex-Soviet states march through Red Square.
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