Flag bearer Zhang Hongjie will take part in the Sept 3 grand parade. (Photo: China Daily/Zhou Hong)
What also makes him proud is the advanced tank he will drive in the coming parade.
"The new-generation tank I drive is definitely one of the best tanks in the world. It has strong firepower, excellent mobility, supreme protective measures and a comfortable control environment," he said, adding that the Chinese military now has many cutting-edge weapons thanks to the rapid development of defense technology.
Ding said, "We are determined to display to the world our best image and our top weapons."
The sentiment is shared by Rear Admiral Li Xiaoyan, deputy chief of staff of the PLA navy's South Sea Fleet, who will lead a naval vehicle unit through the famous Chang'an Avenue in the parade.
"In the military parade, we will not be regarded as a general or a soldier, all of us will be seen as a representative of the Chinese armed forces. Therefore, though I am a rear admiral, I regard myself as an ordinary soldier, which means I must be trained to as high a standard as for a soldier," Li said.
The rear admiral was true to his word, said Senior Captain Hu Jumin, training supervisor of the naval presence in the parade.
Hu said: "Like any other soldier in my unit, Li practices military parade etiquette for five hours each day. He also spends a lot of his rest time researching the unit's vehicles to help us improve training for the vehicles' drivers."
The rear admiral has set a good example, keeping morale high and inspiring the soldiers, he added.
Li said: "A military parade is like combat, you must try your best to honor the PLA flag and to meet people's expectations."
New features
The PLA is making an all-out effort to ensure that the parade is a huge success, according to Major General Wang Shun, deputy chief of staff of the PLA Beijing Military Command and deputy director of the Office of the PLA Parade Joint Command.
A total of 50 units, 40 on the ground and 10 in the air, will represent the PLA.
Among the ground units, two will be composed of war veterans and their descendants, 11 will be serving members and 27 will feature military hardware, including many new weapons that have never been publicly displayed before, Wang said.
The overall plan for the parade was made at the beginning of the year, he said.
During previous military parades on Tian'anmen Square, groups were organized based on their affiliation to each service branch. For example, ground force equipment units would be in a group, with naval weapons units in another group.
