The 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China has been climaxed with a mammoth military parade and displays in Beijing.
The Chinese President Xi Jinping who watched the more than an hour-long parade declared that if “Today, a socialist China is standing proud in the eastern corner of the world, no force can change the position of our great motherland, and no force can stop the Chinese people and the Chinese nation from stepping forward”.
Over 100,000 people witnessed the military parade and colourful pageantry at the historic Tian’anmen Square, in Central Beijing, amidst firing of 70 gun salute, by the People’s Liberation Army, in honour of comrades who lost their lives in China’s fight for Independence.
The People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, under the leadership of Chairman Mao Zedon, who saw the need to help change the plight of the people from poverty, weakness, and oppression of over a century.
70 years on, China has seen rapid transformation, in all spheres, from moving the chunk of its people from abject poverty to becoming the second-largest economy and a technology giant in the world.
The President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, intimated that standing and celebrating, on the same ground on which Chairman Mao Zedong stood and declared the founding of the PRC, 70 years ago, marks the end of 100 years of humiliation and the misery China has suffered in its history.
He paid homage to the forefathers of the revolutionary and other martyrs, including former Chinese leaders and Presidents; Chairman Mao, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, for their immense sacrifice for the independence, liberation and prosperity of China and its people.
He was grateful to all, both citizens home and abroad, as well as friends of various countries, who have supported China on its journey to development.
As Commander-In-Chief and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission, President Xi inspected a military parade of some 15,000 troops and other military apparatuses, which showcased China’s achievements in building its national defence and armed forces, in the past 70 years.
A mass colourful pageantry of some 70 big floats in 36 formations and more than 100,000 ordinary residents also marched down Chang’an Avenue from east to west in downtown Beijing.
President Xi urged the servicemen and women to “always keep their nature and goal, as the people’s armed forces, and resolve to safeguard the national sovereignty, security and development interests while maintaining world peace”.
He maintained that the way forward is to pursue the CPC’s basic theory, line and strategy, consistently working to give the people a better life, while maintaining stability and promoting peaceful development in Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.
He said the people make persistent efforts to realize the two centenary goals of fulfilling the Chinese Dream of great national rejuvenation.
He urged the people to stay the course of implementing the opening-up strategy, and pursue a mutually beneficial win-win cooperation with other countries, so as to promote a community with a shared future for mankind.
President Xi concluded that China has its past written in the history of humankind, and all Chinese people are creating its present, and China will undoubtedly have a brighter future.
The week-long celebration was also marked by many other activities, such as tours to major Chinese industries, opening of the Beijing West-Daxing Airport, and a grand exhibition of China’s achievements through the years.
By: Theodora Amedetor.
