BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is to hold a grand celebration Thursday morning, including a massive military parade and a mass pageant, to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic.
The anniversary marks a full cycle, six decades, in China's lunar calendar.
The military parade, the biggest show in a decade of China's military prowess, has been under media spotlight as the world is watching the rising military strength of the world's third-largest economy.
The parade, the 14th since the founding of New China, includes 56 square and echelon formations, signifying the unity and harmony among the nation's 56 ethnic groups.
Among the eye-catching formations are the debuts of the Special Forces, three-service women soldiers, unmanned surveillance aircraft, women pilots, Armed Police's armored vehicles, and military logistics equipment.
The show involves more than 8,000 soldiers from the land, naval and air force, Second Artillery Corps, Armed Police, army reserves and militia units.
The soldiers have a minimum height of 175 cm for men and 163 cm for women, and most of them were born in the 1980s and 1990s. They drilled 10 hours a day over the past six to 12 months.
Home-made advanced weaponry, including upgraded missiles, pre-warning planes, unmanned surveillance aircraft and new radar systems, will be shown.
There are also a 1,300-member military band, a 2,100-strong adult choir and a 300-strong children choir.
The military show is to be followed by a mass pageant made up of 36 formations and six performing groups involving about 100,000citizens.
It also includes 60 floats, and a background performance involving 80,000 primary and middle school students on Tian'anmen Square in the center of Beijing.
The pageant showcases the development of various fields such as agriculture, industry, transport, energy, sports, education, and population and health.
Tens of thousands of doves, symbols of peace, and 50,000 colorful balloons are to be released at the end of the grand celebration that is scheduled to last about two hours.
Facts & Figures: New China's 60th National Day celebration
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is to hold a grand celebration Thursday morning, including a massive military parade and a mass pageant, to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic.
The anniversary marks a full cycle, six decades, in China's lunar calendar. Full story
Beijing ready for National Day celebration
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Clean streets replete with national flags, major road intersections adorned with ornate potted plants, Beijing is in gala attire early Thursday for the massive celebration commemorating the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
The event will showcase how the country explores the road of building socialism with Chinese characteristic in the past decades, and what great achievements it has attained. Full story
Troops ready for National Day parade
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of crisp-uniformed Chinese servicemen and women, tanks, armored personnel carriers and missiles assembled along the Chang'an Avenue in downtown Beijing Thursday morning, ready for a once-in-a-decade grand parade.
The military parade, centerpiece of the celebration marking the60th anniversary of the founding of People's Republic of China, will showcase China's achievements in national defense and military modernization over the past six decades. Full story
Int'l press on Tian'anmen Square to cover China's National Day celebrations
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of overseas reporters gathered Thursday morning at Tian'anmen Square to cover the well-prepared celebrations marking the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
Alongside the Chang'an Avenue, reporters had their cameras erected and many were busy interviewing participants to the event. Full story
Hundreds of thousands swarm into Tian'anmen Square for National Day celebration
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- About 200,000 soldiers and civilians gather on Tian'anmen Square and alongside Chang'an Avenue Thursday morning to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Most of them are participants of a military parade and a civilian pageant, slated for 10:00 o'clock in the morning. Full story
Special Report: 60th Anniversary of Founding of PRC
