Backgrounder: facts about China's coming V-Day celebrations

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World War II. Celebrations including a military parade will be held in Beijing on Sept. 2 and 3. It will be the first time the country has held a parade to commemorate the victory.

Here are useful facts as the V-Day celebrations draw near.

#What will President Xi do?

Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a speech during the celebrations. He will also award medals to veterans and generals and family dependents of the deceased.

#All SCO member state leaders will attend

Leaders of all the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, have confirmed their attendance of the activities in Beijing.

#Foreign troops invited

China has invited foreign militaries to take part in the parade. It's the first time China has invited foreign troops to participate in a military parade.

#Media service

Domestic and overseas journalists are welcome to cover the events. Overseas journalists should register on reg.kzjn70.cn before Aug. 18.

A press center will be set up in Beijing to serve domestic and overseas reporters.

#Tiananmen Square makeover

Beijing has repaired the aging roads around Tiananmen Square ahead of the military parade.

The stone roads, built in 1958, are part of the city's main traffic artery. Among over 60,000 stone slabs on the roads, 215 damaged ones have been repaired or replaced.

#Odd-even traffic ban

The Chinese capital will keep half of all cars off the roads to ease traffic for the parade on the basis of car plate numbers. The same ban was used last year during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings in Beijing. Traffic controls are also common for big events abroad.

#Parade blue

After enjoying clear skies that became known as "APEC blue" while those meetings took place last year, Beijingers are expecting "Parade blue" after the government announced similar emission-control measures to ensure clean air in the city. Polluting factories will be closed, jobs which raise dust at construction sites will be suspended, and trucks carrying construction materials will be kept off the roads.

#Parade holiday

Chinese people will enjoy a national holiday on Sept. 3, as the government wants to encourage them to take part in the commemoration activities scheduled nationwide.

#Stock exchanges to be closed

The Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges will be closed for four days from Sept. 3 to 6, according to the securities regulator. Endi