China announced on Tuesday that it will stage a major military parade in September to mark 80 years since the end of World War II.

President Xi Jinping will preside over the event at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on September 3, a senior military official said at a news conference.

“The Central Committee of the Communist Party and the Central Military Commission have decided to hold a grand military parade at Tiananmen in the capital on September 3 this year,” Wu Zeke from China’s military commission said.

“Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, will inspect the troops.”

State news agency Xinhua said the parade would feature “marching formations, armoured columns and aerial echelons”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will also attend the anniversary commemorations, the Kremlin said last week.