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"The diplomatic activity on the sidelines is one of the most advantageous aspects of the parade and I hope all the countries in the region will take advantage of the opportunity to talk with one another in a friendly atmosphere." said Cathcart.
In particular, he said it will be good to turn a new page in Sino-Japanese relations, remembering the difficulty of the past but also the peaceful achievements in the years since 1945. "China and Japan have built a relationship that in some ways is very robust, and this couldn't be done without visionary leadership," Cathcart said.
Professor Simon Ball, Chair of International History and Politics of University of Leeds said the trend in western historiography of the war has been to acknowledge the importance of the Japanese attack on China.
"The world war had a rolling start from 1937 to 1941. At the same time historians are rediscovering the very different natures of the bundle of regional wars that made up the world war," said Ball. " It is clear that the world powers drew very different lessons from their joint experiences".
Rana Mitter, Deutsche Bank Director of the University of Oxford's China Centre and Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China said the parade reminds China and the world that there was a major contribution by China to the ultimate Allied victory in World War II.
"Asia was devastated by that war, and it is crucial for all actors in the region to create a consensual and peaceful order that prevents such a war ever happening again,"said Mitter.
