China celebrated 3 September 2015, for the first time, as the day of victory over Japan. On this day seventy years ago, two Japanese, representing the Government and the Military respectively, signed the surrender documents on the USS Missouri off the Japanese coast.
Not many first-rank leaders of the world attended the ceremony at Tiananmon Square, but Mr. Putin, Ms. Park of South Korea, and Mr. Ban Ki-mun, the UN Secretary-General, were conspicuous by their presence. The DPRK did not send a high-class delegation, and they were to be seen only at a corner.
President Xi addressed the selected audience for a little more than ten minutes, and then went on an almost solo inspection of the armed forces waiting outside the Square. After his return to his place the military parade of about 12,000 troops started, to show hundreds of new weapons including ICBMs. Planes were flying overhead in various formation.
All that was old news. Still, while Xi is attending the UN, let me ask a few questions about the People's Liberation Army. Xi said in his speech that it is the people's army. That is what its name says. But really? The war veterans were certainly shown respect and were among the proud marchers in the parade. But the ordinary people were not even allowed to have a glimpse of the parade, let alone to be admitted into the Square. There was no civilian, non-military element in the ceremony. It was not for the people who were apparently not in a position to enjoy it, not at all. Is it not how the common people are treated in China now? After all the common, non-military people played an invaluable role in defeating Japan. It would be impossible to write the history of the war without properly evaluating their role. If so what was the purpose of the glamorous parade on this day? One might wonder if it was not for the sake of showing off to the foreign experts for export. That way China is fast becoming a military power. But what for? The tiny territorial questions with Japan and some ASEAN countries would explain it? On the contrary, these powerful missiles are enough to give enough excuse to the ultra-nationalists ubiquitous in these countries, and also in the US. News came this morning that China would strengthen her PKO in Africa. I would strongly hope that she would distinguish democratic forces from others and help only the former. In the past she has so often aided dictatorial regimes.
Not many first-rank leaders of the world attended the ceremony at Tiananmon Square, but Mr. Putin, Ms. Park of South Korea, and Mr. Ban Ki-mun, the UN Secretary-General, were conspicuous by their presence. The DPRK did not send a high-class delegation, and they were to be seen only at a corner.
President Xi addressed the selected audience for a little more than ten minutes, and then went on an almost solo inspection of the armed forces waiting outside the Square. After his return to his place the military parade of about 12,000 troops started, to show hundreds of new weapons including ICBMs. Planes were flying overhead in various formation.
All that was old news. Still, while Xi is attending the UN, let me ask a few questions about the People's Liberation Army. Xi said in his speech that it is the people's army. That is what its name says. But really? The war veterans were certainly shown respect and were among the proud marchers in the parade. But the ordinary people were not even allowed to have a glimpse of the parade, let alone to be admitted into the Square. There was no civilian, non-military element in the ceremony. It was not for the people who were apparently not in a position to enjoy it, not at all. Is it not how the common people are treated in China now? After all the common, non-military people played an invaluable role in defeating Japan. It would be impossible to write the history of the war without properly evaluating their role. If so what was the purpose of the glamorous parade on this day? One might wonder if it was not for the sake of showing off to the foreign experts for export. That way China is fast becoming a military power. But what for? The tiny territorial questions with Japan and some ASEAN countries would explain it? On the contrary, these powerful missiles are enough to give enough excuse to the ultra-nationalists ubiquitous in these countries, and also in the US. News came this morning that China would strengthen her PKO in Africa. I would strongly hope that she would distinguish democratic forces from others and help only the former. In the past she has so often aided dictatorial regimes.
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