World leaders to attend V-Day events

Preparations for upcoming military parade basically complete

Twenty-six foreign heads of state and government will attend China's Victory Day commemorations, which will include a military parade, on Wednesday as Beijing hopes to use the event to reaffirm its commitment to defending the victorious outcomes of World War II and contributing to world peace and development.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un will be among the world leaders attending the commemorations, Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday.

It will be Putin's first visit to China since he held talks with United States President Donald Trump on the Ukraine crisis in Alaska earlier this month. Putin will also attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, to be held from Sunday to Monday.