Spotlight: Cutting troops shows China's peaceful aspiration: Egyptian experts

China's decision to cut the army by 300,000 troops, announced by President Xi Jinping at Thursday's military parade in Beijing, sent a message about China's commitment to promoting world peace and a shared future, Egyptian experts said.

"It was a well-organized parade and the forces were obviously diligent, disciplined and well-trained," Egyptian military expert and former armed forces general Talaat Musallam said of the parade marking the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

It included a variety of weapons that suit the tasks assigned to the forces and reflected the strength of a world power, the military expert told Xinhua.

After suffering successive defeats at the hands of foreign aggressors, China has learned the lessons of the past and realized that it must own a powerful army to protect its achievements, which have made it a major country in the world, Musallam said.

"Reducing the number of troops won't affect the powerful country's military and warring ability," he said.

Cutting the number of soldiers is "a symbolic message that peace is the core of China's philosophy in life, not only between China and other countries but it also seeks peace in the whole world," Saeed al-Lawaindi, political researcher and expert of international relations at Cairo-based Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said.

Al-Lawaindi described Thursday's celebrations as very honorable that matched China's level and status as a big power that was victorious in World War II (WWII).

Having a special Chinese envoy for the Middle East peace process also "shows how China cares about international and regional issues and how it seeks to be a key player in promoting peace around the world," al-Lawaindi told Xinhua.

China is "a country of peace, development, progress and prosperity" that seeks neither war nor military solutions or interferences, he said.

"China is a peaceful country, and it has never transgressed against any country, but sometimes it is provoked to reply in some situations, which is so normal," Ahmed Abu Zeid, an expert in China-Arab affairs who had worked with China Radio International (CRI).

He echoed the military expert Musallam's words, saying that "reducing the army soldiers by 300,000 is a message of peace as China is a peace-loving country."

This announcement came at a time when world powers seek to increase their military powers, whether by increasing weapons, equipment or soldiers, he added.

"The parade isn't a power show-off but it is rather a display of the country's capabilities without being intended to be against any other country," Sayyid Awwad, head of "We Are All East" Club of China Today Magazine readers.

By allowing other countries to take part in the parade, China meant to say that its victory in WWII came with contribution from other countries, and that unity is now urgently needed for world peace, Awwad said.

Nearly 1,000 foreign troops from 17 countries participated in Thursday's military parade, a key part of the commemoration, together with about 12,000 Chinese servicemen and women.

Throughout history, China only defended its own territories and never invaded any other country, Awwad said, adding that the parade showed China's power and ability to defend its lands and protect its friends.

Ravaging through Asia, Europe, Africa and Oceania, WWII inflicted more than 100 million military and civilian casualties. China suffered more than 35 million casualties. Enditem