China Gives Red Carpet Treatment to President Park

Sitting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, South Korean President Park Geun-hye attended the Victory Day event marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in China on Sept. 3 (local time). President Park sat next to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was on the right side of Chinese President Xi Jinping during the event. Before President Park, no South Korean Presidents have taken part in the event since the normalization of diplomatic ties between South Korea and China in 1992.

Before the event, President Park had her photos taken with President Xi and his wife. A while later, President Park posed for a group photograph with about 30 heads of state and representatives of international organizations. After the photo session, President Park talked with President Xi while on his left walking about 100 meters to the official fort at Tiananmen Square. President Park watched the whole event that ran for one and a half hours with other heads of state.

The event kicked off with the performance of China’s national anthem at Tiananmen Square. Next President Xi gave a speech, held an inspection, and then saw the march and a return of troops. The military parade ran for 70 minutes. The parade mobilized a total of 12,000 troops, 500 military hardware items of 40 kinds and 200 warplanes of 20 kinds, showing off China’s military muscle.

It is said that China made a lot of gestures for President Park’s participation in the event. “Chinese President Xi ordered his protocol team to pay more attention to President Park, saying ‘President Park is one of the most important guests in the event,’” a Cheong Wa Dae spokesperson said. “China endeavored for the South Korean side to such an extent that they formed a special reception,” the spokesperson added. “They also prepared a waiting room for only President Park at a luncheon reception today.” After the reception, President Park will leave for Beijing to take part in the reopening ceremony for the building, which the Korean provisional government used before Korea’s liberation.