A grand commemorative meeting started in Beijing's Tiananmen Square on Wednesday morning to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.

Amid gun salutes, honour guards escorted the national flag from the Monument to the People's Heroes in the square centre northward to the flagpole.

As the flag was raised, the entire assembly joined in singing the national anthem – March of the Volunteers – which was born during the wartime.

Earlier, President Xi Jinping ascended the Tiananmen Rostrum and shook hands with war veterans attending the V-Day commemorations.

He was flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with Putin on his right and Kim on his left.

Xi and First Lady Peng Liyuan had greeted more than 20 world leaders in attendance, including Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto, who had earlier said he wouldn't make the trip due to protests at home. (Xinhua/Agencies)