The PRC celebrated its 70th anniversary today, with much pomp and pageantry in Beijing. President Xi Jinping delivered a brief and rather underwhelming speech, emphasising the unity, development and strength of the PRC. "There is no force that can shake the foundation of this great nation. Socialist China is standing in front of the world. No force can stop the Chinese people and the Chinese nation forging ahead,” he said. Xi also mentioned the importance of the “one country two systems” formulation and the policy of “peaceful reunification.”
None of this has, of course, means that there’s going to a change in the tough policy towards Taiwan or that the protests in Hong Kong are stemming anytime soon. Today has been one of the most violent days of protests in Hong Kong, with a protester being shot.
After Xi’s speech, it was time for the PLA to take centre-stage. The parade was interesting not just for the weaponry on display but also because there were some larger themes that it echoed.
There were some 15,000 personnel, more than 160 aircraft and 580 pieces of weaponry and equipment marching down Chang’an Avenue. But here’s what was most noteworthy:
PLASSF Debuts: The PLA Strategic Support Force (SSF) made its debut in the 2019 National Day military parade. The SSF (zhanlue zhiyuan budui, 战略支援部队) was created on January 2016. It combines space, cyber, and electronic warfare capabilities. The SSF is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the current PLA reforms.
Researchers & Peacekeepers: Two parading units caught my eye. First, the research division (comprising members of the PLA Academy of Military Science and National Defence University and then the Chinese Peace Keeping Forces. The former signifies the importance of research and military innovation. The latter is indicative of Beijing’s desire to project itself as a responsible global power.
DF-41 Missile: The Dongfeng 41 was a major highlight of the parade. The DF-41 is the next generation intercontinental, three-stage, solid-fuel ballistic missile (ICBM) with a range of 15000 km. It can carry up to 10 independently targetable nuclear warheads (MIRV). This missile is capable of targeting the US.
DF-17 Missile: The Dongfeng 17, on the other hand, is short to a medium-range ballistic missile with hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) technology. It ranges between 1,800 to 2,500 km and can deliver both nuclear and conventional payloads. This missile is capable of targeting most of China’s neighbours.
Unmanned Vehicles: The parade also offered the first glimpse of the Gongji-11 (GJ-11) stealth attack drone. This was followed by the DR-8 drones, which are believed to be employed for reconnaissance and battle damage assessments. Also on display were the 'Sharp Sword' stealth drones, which are expected to be deployed on China's aircraft carrier. For more on drones, read Elsa Kania’s twitter thread.
Honourable Mentions: The J-20 stealth fighter, China’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft, and the H6-N bombers, which are capable of mid-air refuelling and long-range strikes, were also on display.
China Desk’s Take:
The parade was a show of force directed at a domestic and international audience, although the message to each of them was different.
The parade reverberated the feeling of nationalism for the domestic audience. China’s economy is slowing down. Domestic tensions are resurfacing. The Hong Kong protests can spill over to China’s other regions. President Xi addressed this issue in his speech, where he emphasised on long term stability in Hong Kong and Macao.
Internationally, the military parade was directed at the US and China’s neighbours. China and the US are currently under trade and technology wars. The long-ranged weapons were intended towards the US. The military parade implied that China is no more a pushover. It is prepared and can hit the US hard if required.
However, despite such an elaborative show of military equipment, there are certain worries. China’s weaponry is not war tested. The PLA had its last war in 1979. In case of a war, there are still questions on the delivery of this weaponry.