Million practices result in salute of a lifetime

The first bang of the military parade in Beijing on Thursday was a salute of 56 guns in Tian'anmen Square by China's National Salute Unit.

When Premier Li Keqiang announced the start of the parade, 56 guns positioned in the shape of the Chinese character "eight" fired alternately 70 times.

"Fifty-six represents China's 56 ethnic groups, 'eight' commemorates the eight years of the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression (1937-45), and 70 stands for the 70th anniversary of our victory of World War II," said Li Tianxiang, a branch team leader in the salute unit.