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Air defense missiles are displayed in a parade of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, on Chang'an Street in central Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Xin)
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BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on Thursday
displayed some of its most sophisticated weaponry in a grand military review to
mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic.
Fifty-two types of new weapon systems developed and
made in China, including the country's most advanced nuclear-capable missiles,
were displayed. Ninety percent of the weapons were exposed to paraded for the
first time.
A total of 56 phalanxes, consisting of 8,000
servicemen and women, nearly 500 tanks, missiles and other military vehicles and
151 warplanes, joined the parade in front of the Tian'anmen Square in the heart
of Beijing.
Chinese President Hu Jintao reviewed the assembled
marchers, standing in an open-roof black Red Flag limousine. Hundreds of
millions of Chinese watched the televised parade on TV or Internet.
EQUIPMENT IN SPOTLIGHT
The most eye-catching weapons paraded were five types
of missiles of the Second Artillery Force (SAF), China's core force of strategic
deterrence, including China's most sophisticated nuclear-capable
intercontinental missiles.
The gigantic weapons in camouflaged colors rolled on
long-bed trucks, triggering exciting cheers and applause from spectators at the
Tian'anmen Square.
SAF's land-based cruise missile also made its debut
at the once-in-a-decade military parade. The conventional cruise missile is able
to perform long-range low-altitude precision strikes.
Also on rare public display were SAF's three types of
conventional missiles.
China started to develop strategic missile weapons in
1956. Over the past decades, the SAF has grown into "a lean and effective
strategic force with both nuclear and conventional missiles, capable of both
land-based strategic nuclear counterattacks and precision strikes with
conventional missiles," a White Paper on National Defense released January said.
Despite the improvement of its nuclear-capable
weapons, China has repeatedly assured the world that it pursues "a
self-defensive nuclear strategy."
"We have adhered to the policy of no-first-use of
nuclear weapons at anytime and under any circumstance, and made the unequivocal
commitment that we will unconditionally not use or threaten to use nuclear
weapons against non-nuclear-weapon states or nuclear-weapon-free zones,"
President Hu said last week in a speech at the U.N. Security Council nuclear
summit in New York.
The parade also displayed advanced weapons of the
Navy, including anti-ship missiles, ship-to-air missiles, ground-to-ship
missiles and amphibious vehicles.
At the military parade to mark the 60th anniversary of China's Navy last April, China already displayed its nuclear submarine. Other cutting-edge weaponry on display included China's new generation of tanks, sophisticated radar, unmanned aerial vehicles and satellite communication devices.
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Cruise missiles are displayed in a parade of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, on Chang'an Street in central Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin)
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Military reserves marching past
Tian'anmen Rostrum
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) - A formation of Chinese military
reserves, with bayonet fixed, marched past the Tian'anmen Rostrum in the center
of Beijing on Thursday.
Members of the group are selected from a reserve division
in Beijing and include civil servants, company officials, workers, college
students and retired servicemen, Bai Zhihong, head of the formation, said before
the parade. Full story
China's armored vehicles roll into
Tian'anmen Square
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Fifteen formations of armored
vehicles from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police
Force (PAPF) rumbled past Beijing's Tian'anmen Square Thursday.
The armored vehicle show was the biggest and most varied
in the history of the National Day military parades since Oct. 1, 1949, when the
People's Republic of China (PRC) was founded. Full story
First three-service women formation debuts in military
parade
BEIJING, Oct.
1 (Xinhua) - A military formation, consisting of women soldiers from the land,
naval and air forces, made its debut in the National Day military parade in
Beijing on Thursday.
The formation had 378 soldiers, 26
more than other groups and also the largest in the world's modern military
parade history. Full story
PLA to intensify aeronautic courses to cultivate information-savvy
pilots
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Wearing
white helmets and blue flying uniforms, the pilot trainees goose-stepped toward
the center stage of China's National Day military parade.
The 352 pilot trainees, 25 in each of
14 rows and two vanguards, were selected from students of the People's
Liberation Army (PLA)'s Aviation University of Air Force based in Changchun,
capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. Full story
Snapshot: Naval forces in National Day parade
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sailors
and marines in the National Day parade Thursday impressed the audience on
Tian'anmen Square and nationwide with the country's growing ability to guard its
coast and territorial waters.
Formations of cadets, sailors and
marines represented the progress the country had made in building a
multi-dimensional naval defense capable of diversified missions. Full story
March-past showcases changes of PLA
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China on
Thursday staged a spectacular march-past in front of Tian'anmen, or the Gate of
Heavenly Peace, in downtown Beijing, to mark the 60th anniversary of the
founding of the People's Republic.
Thousands of crisp-uniformed Chinese
servicemen and women, in 14 phalanxes, marched past the Tian'anmen Rostrum,
where Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of New China. Full story
Chinese President orders armed forces
to make new contributions to world peace
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on
Thursday called on the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed
Police Force (PAPF) to make new contributions to safeguarding national
sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, as well as to maintaining world
peace. Full story
Biggest, best military band of
National Day parade puts on show
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A 1,300-member military band, which is dubbed by its
conductor as "the biggest and best" band in China, is scheduled to present a
non-stop two-hour show Thursday as a grand military parade and a civilian
pageant proceed. Full story
China's army phalanxes march through Tian'anmen
Square
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The special operations forces
of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) made their first public appearance
Thursday in the National Day parade at Tian'anmen Square.
The soldiers were holding silenced submachine guns. Full story
Army special forces debut at National Day
parade
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- The special operations forces
of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) made their first public appearance
Thursday in the National Day military parade on Tian'anmen Square.
The soldiers, in brown camouflage uniforms, were holding
silenced submachine guns. Full story
PLA Guard of Honor heralds military review
BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) - China's military parade reached
a climax as a formation of Guard of Honor of the People's Liberation Army (PLA)
three services marched past Tian'anmen in the center of Beijing.
The tall and handsome soldiers, dressed in green, white
and blue ceremonial PLA uniforms, marched past Tian'anmen in swift and
impeccable goosesteps, leaving spectators intoxicated in admiration. Full story
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Nuclear missiles are seen in the parade of the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, on Chang'an Street in central Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009. (Xinhua/Wang Qingqin)
Photo Gallery>>> |
Special Report: 60th Anniversary of Founding of PRC
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