Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a military 300.000 cut during the military parade to celebrate the 70mo anniversary of the end of World War II and the victory over Japan.
"China, however strong it may become, will never seek hegemony over other countries".
No Western leaders were present for the Beijing celebrations. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin and UN secretary Ban Ki-moon went there.
The People's Liberation Army, according to various sources, today has around 10,000 employees 2.300.000 people.
The parade was attended by 12.000 soldiers, 500 military vehicles, over 200 aircraft and about a thousand foreign military from 17 countries.
The intervention is not a novelty in the Asian giant: nn 1985 he reduced the military by one million in an effort to focus on economic development and strengthen the quality of troops. In 1987 the men and women of the Defense were raised to a total of 3,235 million from 4,238 million. In 1990, the number was lowered to 3.199.000, with an overall cut of 1.039.000 military personnel. In 1997, China has reduced troops by over half a million units over three years, reducing the total to 2,5 million. Between the 2003 and the 2005 further cutting of actual 200.000, resizing thePeople's Liberation Army to 2,3 million, the least value in the history of the country.
The V-Day event concluded with the release of 70.000 white doves and 70.000 balloons above Tien'anmen Square in the center of the capital.
(photo: Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China)
