PLA military band trains for performance at upcoming V-Day parade

A 1000-strong military band, comprising members from all services of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), is undergoing intensive training in Beijing ahead of a grand military parade on September 3, aiming to deliver a powerful and moving tribute on the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

The parade, set to take place in the iconic Tian'anmen Square, will honor the heroic legacy of the 14-year War of Resistance and showcase the strength and unity of modern China.

The joint military band will perform a carefully curated repertoire that blends wartime classics with newly composed military marches. The music is designed to evoke the nation's historic struggle, and pay tribute to fallen heroes.

Achieving perfect synchronization among more than 1,000 musicians is a huge challenge. To ensure flawless execution, the band is training in a phased approach -- individual practice, section rehearsals, and full ensemble sessions -- with special focus on alignment, seamless transitions between pieces, and consistency in performance.

"Since this is a huge joint military band with over 1,000 members, achieving perfect unison in movement and pitch accuracy is extremely challenging. It requires a long time of extensive rehearsal to strengthen the members' 'muscle memory' and 'sectional cohesion', fostering a unified team spirit across the entire group. This will ensure a spectacular performance during the parade and deliver the best possible effect," said Cheng Yuanwen, the band's chief conductor.

One of the highlights of the parade will be the 20 female snare drummers in the band's front row. As the symbolic "face" of the band, they will stand tall and perform with precision to showcase the strength, discipline, and pride of Chinese service members.

"It is our honor to stand in the front row during the military parade. To ensure a perfect performance, we practice thousands of drumbeats every day. It's tough, but whenever I think of the upcoming parade, I feel all the hard work is truly worth it," said Niu Qingqing, one of the drummers.

To create a stirring audiovisual experience that will resonate across the nation and around the world, the band has carefully arranged a repertoire that balances ceremonial solemnity with artistic expression.

Iconic wartime songs such as "Along the Songhua River" and "The Yellow River Cantata" will be played to honor fallen heroes and deepen the sense of remembrance and reverence. Meanwhile, newly composed pieces will highlight the modern image of the PLA confidently advancing into the new era.

"The repertoire design for this parade is exceptionally well-coordinated. When the powerful notes of 'The March of the Steel Torrent' rang out and the battle flag formations marched forward during the rehearsal, my eyes instantly welled up with tears, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. Behind every battle flag are countless heroic fighters. At that moment, history and the present seemed to converge. I could almost feel the relieved gaze of the fallen heroes upon seeing our nation's prosperity and strength. The music we played felt like a solemn vow we have made to build a strong military for our country," said Zhou Lei, a clarinet player in the band.

Symbolism is deeply embedded in the band's formation. The entire ensemble is arranged into 14 rows, representing the 14 years of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. At the front, 80 ceremonial horn players are positioned to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory.

"This commemorative event has fully drawn on the experience of military parades in the past. In terms of formation design and musical composition, it emphasizes both the solemnity of the event and the characteristics of the times. While preserving some traditional pieces, it also features several newly composed works, striving to enhance the grandeur of the occasion and deliver a powerful, awe-inspiring effect during the parade," said Huang Yanhui, commander of the joint military band.

PLA military band trains for performance at upcoming V-Day parade

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media