BEIJING, Oct 1: Chinese across the nation are celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday, which is also the first day of the eight-day National Day and Mid-autumn Festival holidays, with many people gathering at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing for a grand national flag-raising ceremony beaming with excitement and pride.
In the early hours of the morning, crowds gradually gathered in the square, waiting for the ceremony. At the very front, a few figures of varying ages sat together and chatted.
Zhong Chaoyu, 26, from Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong Province, was the youngest among this “chance encounter” group. With a camera always in hand, he captured the endearing scenes of people in the square. Feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement, he secured a good spot, eager to document the sacred moment, according to a CCTV report.
“I find it very meaningful to capture this moment through my lens. When the honor guard appears, my camera will follow them as they raise the national flag. I want it to be stored on my memory card along with my memories,” Zhong said.
Tang Yanqin, an 80-year-old grandmother, traveled from Northeast China’s Harbin accompanied by her daughter and son-in-law. Insisting on waiting overnight, this was her first time in her life she attended the flag-raising ceremony at Tian’anmen Square. “This year marks the 76th founding anniversary of the PRC. I’m deeply moved to have this opportunity in my lifetime,” Tang said, according to the report.
Just like them, people of different ages and from various regions gathered in the square. Some sat on the ground, while others were too excited to sleep. Zhao Xuan, who came from North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, dressed in festive attire, was distributing prepared national flag stickers to newly made friends.
“The gun salutes used in this year’s military parade were produced by us. Although we watched the parade as a group rather than on-site, we felt particularly moved and proud. We must witness the strength of our motherland,” Zhao said.
Aboard the China Space Station, about 400 kilometers above the Earth, the three taikonauts of the Shenzhou-20 crew, Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie, sent their sincere blessings to the country and the people.
During the National Day holidays, the China Space Station was bathed in red. The taikonauts wore red shirts with the words “the motherland is the light that illuminates everything,” symbolizing their love and deep affection for the motherland across the stars. This is the second time for taikonaut Chen Dong to celebrate the National Day in space.
Chen said that from witnessing the in-orbit assembly of the China Space Station’s three-module T-shape structure to now seeing the fruitful results of the space station’s application and development, he deeply feels that these achievements are inseparable from the hard work of the entire project and even more from the attention and support of the people across the country. “We, from the China Space Station, wish our great motherland prosperity and well-being for people from all ethnic groups,” he said, according to the report.
Meanwhile, the streets of Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions were festooned with flags, banners and posters, brimming with a festive atmosphere. The five-starred national flag and the regional flags of Hong Kong and Macao flutter in the wind, while celebratory slogans and posters can be seen throughout the streets and alleys. The local governments and various sectors of society in Hong Kong and Macao have jointly launched a series of diverse celebratory activities and preferential measures, according to another CCTV report.
On Wednesday morning, the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region hosted a National Day reception at Golden Bauhinia Square to celebrate the 76th founding anniversary of the PRC. Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive John Lee, heads of central government institutions in Hong Kong SAR, and representatives from various sectors of Hong Kong society attended the flag-raising ceremony, China National Radio reported.
At 8 am, the Hong Kong Police Band played the national anthem, March of the Volunteers, as the bright five-starred red flag of the People’s Republic of China and the flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region were slowly hoisted. The guests saluted the flags and sang the national anthem. A helicopter from the Hong Kong Government Flying Service, adorned with the national flag and the SAR flag, flew over Victoria Harbour, while a fireboat from the Fire Services Department sprayed water arcs as it sailed through the waters.
The government of the Macao Special Administrative Region also held a reception to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Wednesday. In his speech, Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng stated that the prosperity and strength of the motherland have provided a solid foundation for Macao’s development and progress. He emphasized that Macao will ride the momentum of the nation’s development to continuously break new ground in advancing the high-quality development of the “One Country, Two Systems” cause.
China’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday released a short-film titled “The Right Path,” marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The film juxtaposes historical footage and photos with contemporary scenes to highlight China’s remarkable achievement in its development.
