All the troops and equipment for China's massive National Day celebrations on Oct. 1 in Beijing were ready for the final showcase after four months of preparations and rehearsals, a spokesman at the joint headquarters for the military parade said Wednesday.

Maj.-Gen. Gao Jianguo said at a press conference all the weapon systems to be shown in the parade were domestically produced hardware.

The once-in-a-decade military display involving about 5,000 personnel, tanks, missile-carrying vehicles and more than 150 aircraft began preparations and training in several military bases on Beijing's outskirts in May.

The spokesman said after a dress rehearsal last Friday night in which the soldiers marched in front of Tian'anmen Square on Chang'an Avenue, the ground formations were ready for the 66-minute parade.

At 11:00 Monday morning, 151 aircraft, some trailing colorful smoke, screamed through the air over the square in the only rehearsal for the parade's aircraft formations, attracting curious local residents.

Source: Xinhua