Chinese PLA contingent arrives in Hanoi for Vietnam’s National Day parade

Upon landing, agencies under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense coordinated with their Chinese counterparts to swiftly complete entry procedures for the contingent and its equipment.

The ministry had earlier invited Chinese forces to join the parade marking the 80th anniversary of National Day.

The PLA troops will have less than a day to rest before joining a full rehearsal on Saturday at Ba Dinh Square.

This is the second time this year the PLA has joined a major commemoration in Vietnam.

In April 2025, a PLA honor guard unit participated in the parade marking the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s Reunification Day on April 30 in Ho Chi Minh City

For the upcoming National Day celebration, Vietnam has invited the defense ministries of eight countries — Russia, China, Laos, Cambodia, Cuba, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.

Five of them — Russia, China, Laos, Cambodia, and Belarus — were requested to send troops to participate in the parade.

Units from Russia, Laos, and Cambodia had already arrived in Vietnam and joined rehearsals before the PLA contingent landed.

While speaking on July 17 about the invitations, Pham Thu Hang, spokesperson for the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighted the significance of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945) for both Vietnam and global liberation movements.

She added that the invitations also provide an opportunity to honor the support of Vietnam’s international friends and reflect Vietnam’s commitment to friendship and solidarity, as well as its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, and diversification.