China's parade announcement preludes WWII anniversary(2)

"If China had surrendered in 1938, the future of Asia might have been completely different," Rana Mitter from Britain's Oxford University told Xinhua in a recent interview.

JAPAN AT CROSS ROADS

However, tensions between China and Japan remain in recent years due to territorial and wartime historical issues.

Japan's move, from its decision to "purchase" the Diaoyu Islands to denial of Najing Massacre, has led to escalation of tensions between the two countries and international worries about its political direction.

China has repeatedly expressed concern about Japan's recent conduct and political developments.

"We are very worried about Japan's political orientation. The country now stands at a crossroads of whether to maintain its pacifist constitution or revive militarism," said Qian Lihua, a political advisor and general who used to head the foreign affairs office under the Ministry of National Defense.

China-Japan relations will take another hit if Prime Minister Shinzo Abe denies history or backtracks on previous statements made by former prime ministers Tomiichi Murayama and Junichiro Koizumi, who apologized for Japan's colonial rule and aggression, according to Qian.

Japan should take the history as a mirror and "follow the path of peaceful development" to win trust from the international community, Lyu Xinhua, spokesman for the third session of the 12th National Committee of the CPPCC, made the remarks at a press conference on Monday.

"In general," Lyu said, "most Japanese leaders, including the incumbent ones, have not yet reflected or apologized as deeply and sincerely as what German leaders have done over the Holocaust of Jews perpetrated by the Nazis."

Attempts, nonetheless, have been made in Japan to cover up truths of the war history, the Yasukuni Shrine, comfort women and the Nanjing Massacre, among others, which was described by Lyu as challenging justice and human conscience.

As the world commemorates this year the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, Lyu said, the Japanese government should show its sense of responsibility, take the history as a mirror and follow the path of peaceful development.

ARMY OF PEACE

China's parade may not feature the usual pomp and ceremony associated with National Day events.

Military equipment to be presented would mainly be those in active service, but it is not necessary to display all the newly developed equipment, Yin Zhuo said.

The world will see the PLA as important force of promoting peace, said Wang Xinjun, a researcher with the PLA's Academy of Military Science.

The national defense spending has seen double-digit growth for several years, but it is still lower than major powers in terms of its shares in GDP or in per capita terms.

China defense policy is purely defensive. It is the largest personnel contributor to UN peace-keeping missions among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. It also regularly sends naval task forces to conduct overseas escort missions.

"For us, the parade is not aimed at prolonging hatred. Rather, it is a declaration of being united and protecting peace," Liu Li said.