BEIJING, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- A grand cultural gala was held on Thursday evening in Beijing as part of China's commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the victory in World War II.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and senior leaders Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli joined about 6,000 people and watched the gala at the Great Hall of the People.

China put on a massive military parade on Thursday morning to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII and what it calls the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

With the theme of "Victory and Peace," the evening gala depicted the Chinese nation's valor in the war, hailed the mainstay role of the Communist Party of China in the war and expressed China's call that all people around the world get united and safeguard peace.

Among the audience were 70 war veterans, who received a standing ovation from all the other people at the gala to pay tribute to their feats in the war.

Also present at the gala were foreign state and government leaders attending the commemorations in Beijing as well as leading officials of China's top authorities, chief executives of Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions and representatives from Taiwan and overseas Chinese.