Pomp as China celebrates 70 years

Source: China Daily

President Xi Jinping reviewed the armed forces at the heart of Beijing Tuesday morning, his first on National Day, to mark the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Standing in a black open-roof Red Flag limousine, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), reviewed foot and armament formations lining up along Chang'an Avenue in the bright Autumn sunshine.

Wearing a high-collar dark grey Chinese-style suit, Xi repeated salutes through the microphone: "Salute to you, comrades!" and "Comrades, thanks for your hard work!" The soldiers replied: "Hail to you, Chairman!" and "Serve the people!"

"Follow the Party! Fight to win! Forge exemplary conduct!" The servicemen and women saluted Xi and exclaimed.

Thousands of servicemen and women goose-stepped through the square, sophisticated tanks and armoured vehicles rumbled and up-to-date fighters flew by. The historic parade consisted of 15,000 personnel, 580 pieces of armament and more than 160 aircraft in 15-foot formations, 32 armament formations, and 12 echelons.

The National Day parade was the first of its kind since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered a new era and the first overall demonstration of Chinese armed forces after their comprehensive reform and restructuring in recent years.

"Seventy years ago on this day, Comrade Mao Zedong solemnly declared here to the world that the PRC was founded. The Chinese people have stood up," Xi said on Tian'anmen Rostrum when addressing a grand rally. "The Chinese nation has since then embarked on the path of realizing national rejuvenation."

 
Unlike the National Day parade 70 years ago in which many weapons of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) were foreign-produced ones seized from rival troops on the battlefield, all armaments in the parade now are homemade.

New weapons, from Dongfeng-41 intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles, H-6N long-range strategic bombers to new models of drones, accounted for 40 percent of all armaments showcased in the parade.

 
A large part of ground formations and echelons were formed by multiple services, a structure highlighting an enhanced inter-operability of the PLA achieved through the reform.