President Xi Jinping attended a grand parade in Moscow on Friday to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Soviet Union's Great Patriotic War. Xi, hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, was among the more than 20 leaders of countries and international organizations who attended the commemorative event in Red Square. The Honor Guard of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, consisting of 119 members, joined the parade. According to Putin, it was the largest foreign military contingent to take part in the event. It was the second time that Chinese soldiers participated in a Russian Victory Day parade, following their debut in the parade 10 years ago. When the Chinese servicemen marched through Red Square amid the strong vibe of joy to celebrate victory, Xi stood up to greet them. After the parade, Xi and Putin, together with other leaders, went to the nearby Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to lay flowers in tribute to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in World War II. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the victories in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Eighty years ago, the forces of justice around the world, including China and the Soviet Union, united in courageous battles against their common foes and defeated the overbearing fascist powers. Xi has stressed on a number of occasions the importance of upholding a correct historical perspective on WWII and the postwar international order. In a signed article published by the Russian Gazette newspaper ahead of his visit to Russia in 2015, Xi quoted Russian historian Vasily Klyuchevsky as saying, "If we lost the memory of our past, our mind and soul would be lost in the darkness".