Dazhong Daily:

Militia, as part of our armed forces, played an important role in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. Can you introduce the details of the militia formation in the parade? Thank you.

Xu Guizhong:

Thank you for your question. Soldiers and civilians are the foundation of victory, with the militia emerging alongside the armed struggle, led by the Party. During the War of Resistance, the size of the militia reached more than 2.6 million. The vast number of militia participated in the battles, provided front-line support and fought courageously, eliminating over 106,000 enemy troops and plunging the Japanese invaders into the depths of people's war. In the new era, the militia has been transformed towards high-quality development, better fulfilling the mission of serving in peacetime, responding in emergencies, and fighting in wartime. We have assembled militia from 15 provinces in this year's parade, covering the main resistance bases led by the Party during the War of Resistance. Some come from the traditional militia units known for their achievements, like the Railway Guerrilla and the Plains Guerrilla. Others are from typical militia organizations that originated unique tactics like tunnel warfare, landmine warfare, and "sparrow" warfare. Additionally, some represent advanced militia groups that have made new contributions and played new roles since the founding of the People's Republic of China. This not only reflects the historical contributions of the militia in the War of Resistance, but also showcases the style of militia building in the new era, and the new achievements in the construction of national defense reserves. The militia formation has also made significant innovations in terms of parade attire compared to previous parades, fully showcasing the image of China's militia in the new era. Thank you.

Shou Xiaoli:

That's all for today's press conference. Thank you to the spokespersons and friends from the media. Goodbye, everyone.

Translated and edited by Zhang Jiaqi, Mi Xingang, Li Congrong, Liu Sitong, Liu Jianing, Xu Kailin, Zhu Bochen, Chen Xinyan, Zhang Junmian, Wang Qian, Ma Yujia, Zhou Jing, Li Huiru, Huang Shan, Gong Yingchun, Zhang Rui, David Ball, Tudor Bentley Finneran, and Jay Birbeck. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.