China celebrated it's 60th anniversary Thursday with a showcase of military might in a massive parade in central Beijing.
The parade marked the day when Mao Zedong formed the People's Republic of China in 1949. The parade, which is said to be the biggest ever in China's history, was the main feature of the day long commemoration.
Among the honor guests at the main event were communist leaders of China and other prominent figures. China's president, Hu Jintao, addressed the crowd and gave the keynote speech.
"The 60 years of new China have proved that only socialism can save China," Hu said, dressed in a traditional Mao-style suit. (Aljazeera)
The parade included a display of the military power as well as the advanced weapons that China possesses. Aljazeera and BBC both reported that this is significant in that China is conveying a message to the world about their forces.
Security was tight and residents of Beijing were told to not leave their homes. In the days leading up to the parade, activists and human rights groups were jailed or placed under heavy supervision.
Aside from parade celebration, there were other civilian celebrations. The civilian parades included about 100,000 people along with floats and other pieces dedicated to China's space program and Beijing's Olympics which took place last year.
Other Chinese leaders overseas said that the anniversary was an unprecedented grand celebration that illustrated the strength of modern China. (BBC)
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