A total of 46 divisions (echelons) participated in this military parade, including 42 ground divisions and four airborne echelons. Each division on foot had 14 rows, each with 25 people, totaling 352 people (including team leaders). This was four rows and 110 people more than that at the military parade on the 10th National Day. The strategic missile division had a total of 14 vehicles including two command vehicles and those traveled in four rows, each with three vehicles.

Except the strategic missile division, all other vehicle divisions had 18 vehicles, including two command vehicles with four rows, and in each row four vehicles. The largest airplane group in the airborne echelons was a nine-aircraft formation, four aircrafts more than that on the 10th National Day. A total of 10,370 officers and soldiers attended this parade. The 28 types of weapons and equipment reviewed were all developed by China, including 117 combat aircrafts of various kinds, 189 missiles, 205 tanks and armored vehicles, 126 cannons, 18 rocket minelayers, 6,429 light weapons and 2,216 vehicles. 19 types were new equipment meeting modern standards and some were even of advanced international level, which fully reflected the new achievements accomplished in the modernization drive of China's national defense system.

In addition, it was the first time for the strategic missile force, the armed police force and female soldiers to be reviewed in a National Day military parade.

The military parade on the 35th National Day was unprecedented in grandeur and prompted strong reactions both at home and abroad.

On October 5, Deng Xiaoping issued orders of commendation to the reviewed army and pointed out that the army displayed national prestige and military spirits with their new look and strict discipline. He also said that the military parade deeply reflected the tremendous achievements made by the PLA in the drive to build a revolutionary, modernized and regularized army. It fully revealed that the army’s weapons and equipment had been raised to a new level and vividly showed the political consciousness and military capability of the people’s army as well as their indomitable heroic spirits. Hundreds of millions of people had witnessed the powerful lineup of the PLA and China’s strengthened national defense, which significantly invigorated the national spirits, inspired patriotism and spurred confidence in realizing the four modernizations.

(China.org.cn, CCTV August 13, 2009)