The participating troops remained firmly in positions despite the driving rains ahead of the start of the rehearsal on April 25 evening. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

HCM CITY — A preliminary state-level rehearsal for the grand parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975–2025) was held along Lê Duẩn Street in District 1, HCM City, on Friday evening.

Cannon firing ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo

Attending and directing the rehearsal were Nguyễn Trọng Nghĩa, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Chairman of its Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation, and standing deputy head of the Central Steering Committee for the celebration of major anniversaries and important historical events of the country in the 2023-25 period; Nguyễn Văn Nên, Politburo member, Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee, and head of the Steering Committee for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification; and General Phan Văn Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defence; among others.

Vietnamese female peacekeepers marching. — VNA/VNS Photo

The preliminary state-level rehearsal featured 25 military and militia formations, 17 police formations, and 12 formations of mass organisations.

Notably, the event also saw the marching of military forces from China, Laos, and Cambodia.

On the same day's morning, detachments of helicopters and fighter jets also conducted training in the sky above downtown HCM City.

The final state-level rehearsal is scheduled to take place along Lê Duẩn street on Sunday morning.

The grand ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification will be held at 6:30am on April 30, with the participation of around 13,000 people. — VNA/VNS

Laos' troops in the rehearsal. — VNA/VNS Photo

China's troop marching. — VNA/VNS Photo

Cambodia's troops. — VNA/VNS Photo