Guards of honor from China and 15 other foreign countries attended a military parade rehearsal after a welcome ceremony held in their honor at a parade ground in Mexico City on Saturday.

Honour guards of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) rehearse a military parade, the first of its kind associating with their counterparts from other countries, ahead of Mexico's 200th independence anniversary in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, Sept. 11, 2010. Mexico will celebrate its 200 anniversary of Independence on September 15. A military parade will be held the next day. Honor guards from some invited countries such as China, the United States, Russia and Spain will join the parade. [Xinhua]

The general director of the Mexican military parade, Jorge Juarez Loera, welcomed the guards of honor who have been invited to take part in a grand military review scheduled for Thursday to celebrate the bicentennial of Mexico's Independence which falls on Wednesday.

Loera reviewed Mexico's arduous struggle for independence and said Mexico would join other countries in efforts to maintain world peace.

When the Honor of Guard of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) was marching past the reviewing stand, Loera gave the soldiers a thumbs-up sign, saying the Chinese honor guard was in very neat formation and moved beautifully.

It is the first time the PLA Guard of Honor is participating in such activities abroad. The Chinese guard of honor is composed of 34 soldiers.

Mexico is pulling out all the stops this year to celebrate the bicentennial of its independence.