China held a massive military parade at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Wednesday as part of its commemorations on the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, pledging to pursue a path of peaceful development in a world fraught with turbulence and uncertainty.

President Xi Jinping oversaw the parade and reviewed the troops. Standing beside Xi on the Tian'anmen Rostrum were Russian President Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, the top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, along with more than 20 other foreign leaders.

Representatives of those who had supported China's fight in World War II, or their family members, were invited to the event.

While addressing the grand gathering for the commemorative event ahead of the parade, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said that the commemorations aim to bear history in mind, honor martyrs, cherish peace and strive for a better future.

He said that the resistance war, arduous and great, marks China's first complete victory against foreign aggression in modern times.

Noting that the victory was achieved under a national united front against Japanese aggression, as advocated by the CPC, Xi said that the Chinese people made a major contribution to the salvation of human civilization and the defense of world peace with immense sacrifice in the war, a significant part of the World Anti-Fascist War.

History has given the lesson that only when nations across the world treat each other as equals, live in harmony and mutually support one another can common security be safeguarded, the root cause of war eliminated, and historical tragedies prevented from recurring, he said.

Noting that humanity is once again faced with a choice of peace or war, dialogue or confrontation, and win-win outcomes or zero-sum games, Xi said that the Chinese people will stand firmly on the right side of history and on the side of human progress, adhere to the path of peaceful development, and join hands with the rest of world to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Xi called on Chinese people of all ethnic groups to stay united and work hard under the strong leadership of the CPC to build a strong country and advance national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

"The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is unstoppable and humanity's cause of peace and development will prevail," he said.

Xi asked the People's Liberation Army to build itself into world-class forces and resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, provide strategic support for national rejuvenation and make greater contributions to world peace and development.

Japan officially surrendered on Sept 2,1945, by signing the Instrument of Surrender. China designated Sept 3 as its Victory Day.

China tied down and struck over half of Japan's overseas forces, at the cost of 35 million Chinese military and civilian casualties — accounting for around one-third of all casualties worldwide in World War II.