People from all walks of life in Urumqi gather at the Hongshan Sports Stadium on October 1 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua Photo)

    URUMQI, Oct. 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The 50th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was celebrated at a grand gathering in the regional capital, featured by a 50-gun solute, dove flying, the issue of commemorative stamps and other activities. 

    The founding of the autonomous region on Oct. 1, 1955 marked a "new historical phase of Xinjiang's development," Luo Gan, head of the central government delegation, told an audience of 12,000 people at the Hongshan Sports Stadium.

    "Earth-shaking changes have taken place in Xinjiang in the past 50 years" under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, he said.

Luo Gan, head of the central government delegation, delivers a speech at the grand gathering at the Hongshan Sports Stadium.(Xinhua photo)

    He pledged that the central government, as well as developed regions in east China, will continue to support the region in economic development "so as to jointly promote prosperity and development in Xinjiang and ensure lasting political and social stability in the northwestern frontier of the country."

    In a separate speech delivered on Friday, Luo also called for efforts to strengthen national unity and resolutely fight separatists, extremists and terrorists.

    The gathering began at 11:00 a.m. with China's national anthem played and national flag hoisted amid the sounding of a 50-gun salute and the flying of 5,000 doves.

    A grand art performance featuring dances and songs full of Uygur flavors was staged at the celebration.

    Also on Saturday, 9.5 million sets of stamps were issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Stamp companies in Beijing, Shandong and other places of the country also issued first day covers of the same theme. Enditem