Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 is pictured during a search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, in the south Indian Ocean April 5, 2014, in this photo courtesy of China News Service. Haixun 01 detected a pulse signal in the south Indian Ocean on
Chinese patrol ship Haixun 01 is pictured during a search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, in the south Indian Ocean April 5, 2014, in this photo courtesy of China News Service. Reuters/CNSphoto

China will be parading its military power this Thursday in light of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. The showcase, however, is seen more as a reminder to other countries like the United States and Japan that China can impose military pressure if necessary. This is amidst possible antagonistic policies on South China Sea initiatives.

The military parade will be an extravagant display of power as China has since doubled its published annual defence budget. Furthermore, it will be a manifestation of the country's growing armed forces' capabilities under President Xi Jinping's leadership with efforts extending to other regions, particularly at sea.

Previously, the nation made headlines after it completed an archipelago of artificial islands soon to house more military personnel and infrastructure. In a report by Chinese state media (via LA Times), around 84 percent of those that will be showcased, along with 200 units of aircraft and 500 pieces of hardware, have never been released to the public. Around 12,000 troops will also march during the said event.

“What we’re seeing in the parade is the product of three decades of intense military investment: tanks, armoured personnel carriers, combat aircraft and missiles. All are the product of an intense military modernisation and buildup," Richard Fisher, a senior fellow at the Virginia-based International Assessment and Strategy Center, said.

“The parade offers some very clear illustrations that China is winning the arms race with the United States. China’s military challenge is now putting real pressure on America’s military forces in Asia and is continuing to make modernization leaps that [the] U.S. has not begun to respond to.”

Senior international defence research analyst at Rand Corp, Timothy Heath, added: “China is reminding the United States and Japan of the potential risk and cost of pursuing antagonistic policies." China has been linked to growing tensions in the South China Sea. Japan already increased its budget as a countermeasure to China's growing control over the region while Australia sought to strengthen alliance further with the U.S.

Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin also asked the U.S. for military assistance in order to strengthen the Philippines' position in the South China Sea dispute, according to The Diplomat. Specifically, the nation asked the U.S. for support in monitoring the situation in the area in real-time. Furthermore, this also covered request for surveillance and reconnaissance assets.

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