Helicopters carrying communist and national flags fly over during a military parade held in front of late president Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum on October 10, 2010 in Hanoi. Thousands of goose-stepping soldiers marched past the tomb of Vietnam's founding president Ho Chi Minh for the country's largest military display in years. The parade, part of a ceremony for the city of Hanoi's millennium celebrations, is a display of national pride that also sends a subtle message to Vietnam's giant neighbour China with the two sides in dispute over territory in the South China Sea.

Soldiers march in front of the mausoleum of late president Ho Chi Minh during a military parade held on October 10, 2010 in Hanoi. The parade, part of a ceremony to cap Hanoi's millennium celebrations, is a display of national pride that also sends a subtle message to Vietnam's giant neighbour China while the two sides are in dispute over territory in the South China Sea, according to observers.

Maritime policemen march in front of the mausoleum of late president Ho Chi Minh during a military parade held on October 10, 2010 in Hanoi.

Female soldiers march in front of the mausoleum of late president Ho Chi Minh during a military parade held on October 10, 2010 in Hanoi.

Militia women in ethnic minorities' dresses march in front of the mausoleum of late president Ho Chi Minh during a military parade held on October 10, 2010 in Hanoi. The parade, part of a ceremony to cap Hanoi's millennium celebrations, is a display of national pride that also sends a subtle message to Vietnam's giant neighbour China while the two sides are in dispute over territory in the South China Sea, according to observers.