On Sept 3, China held a massive military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of its victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Long before the parade took place, some Western countries accused China of flexing its military muscles by holding the parade, which “underlines a so-called ‘China Threat’ theory hyped up by some Western media outlets”, Xinhua commented. However, an announcement made by President Xi Jinping before the parade surprised the world and proved the accusation groundless, Xinhua pointed out.
President Xi said that China will cut its troops by 300,000 to 2 million by the end of 2017. This will be the military’s fourth major reduction since 1985.
Xi’s announcement “fully demonstrates China’s sincerity and hope in jointly championing peace, seeking development and enjoying prosperity with various countries in the world”, said Ministry of National Defense spokesman Yang Yujun. The decision also demonstrates the country’s “proactive, responsible attitude toward advancing international arms control and disarmament”, the spokesman added.
“The reductions also show that the Chinese government is not chanting empty slogans when it says that Thursday’s commemoration activities are aimed partly at cherishing peace and opening up the future,” Xinhua said in a commentary.
The cuts will mainly target “troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff and noncombatant personnel”, said Yang Yujun. And the changes will help build a modernized Chinese military, with a streamlined structure.
Some foreign media interpreted the cuts as a financial and technological move. “Rising personnel costs and growing technological capabilities reduce the need for large numbers of troops,” The Associated Press said.
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