BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Applause and cheers engulfed Tian'anmen Square Thursday morning when a float featuring the scale model of Taiwan's landmark 101 Tower and colorful local fruits appeared at the celebrations of New China's 60th founding anniversary.

Floats take part 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 Mingfang) Photo Gallery>>>

    The dazzling float of the "Treasure Island" was the last one of the "Splendid China" formation to pull into the square at the heart of Beijing, following 33 others representing China's 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

    Standing high on the float was a statue of Zheng Chenggong, who reclaimed Taiwan from Dutch occupiers more than three centuries ago.

    Two passenger plane models "flying" over a rainbow on the float symbolized direct air and sea transport links and postal services across the Taiwan Straits, which did not begin until December, 2008. Previously, air and sea connections, including mail, were routed via a third location, usually Hong Kong.

    Some 250 Taiwan compatriots were invited by the All-China Federation of Taiwan Compatriots to attend the grand celebrations, as had been done during the 1984 and 1999 festivities.

    A total of 48 journalists from 17 Taiwan media organizations also registered to cover the event.

    "My feelings were mixed," said Lin Cheng Weng, chairman of the Taiwan-based China Association of Planning. "It took about 60 years for me to turn the black-and-white image of the mainland in my mind to a color one."

    "We have the same skin color and the same bloodline, thus let us lay aside our historical grudge and look forward together," said Weng, who has been engaged in cross-Straits exchanges for 20 years and was among the Taiwan compatriots invited to watch the parade.

    Weng said he wished for a greater unity of the Chinese people across the Taiwan Straits based on mutual understanding.

    The Chinese mainland and Taiwan, with a long feud after the civil war six decades ago, have been cementing ties in recent years, seeing financial cooperation, disaster relief donations and exchanges between the Communist Party of China and the Kuomintang and other political parties on the island, in addition to the breakthroughs in transport links.

Chinese wish for national unity, reunification in festive parade

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese people expressed their desire for national unity and reunification Thursday morning in a mass procession celebrating the 60th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

    Following a grand military parade, the mass procession, in 35 formations with different themes, began at around 11:20 a.m. in front of the famous Tian'anmen Rostrum at the heart of Beijing. Full story

Final children parade looks into better future

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- A parade of about 5,000 children with colored balloons and wreaths in hand walked by Tian'anmen Rostrum in central Beijing Thursday, along with a float in the shape of a giant basket filled with flowers, in celebration of the60th founding anniversary of New China.

    The square formation called "Tomorrow will be better" was the largest and final one in the mass pageant. The float named "Flourishing flowers" was also the final of 60 running through the mass pageant. Full story

Foreigners take part in China's National Day parade

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- China, for the first time, had a formation composed of foreigners for its National Day celebration parade since the founding of New China in 1949, a sign of its increased openness to the outside world.

    A total of 181 foreigners from 53 countries participated in the parade. Dozens of foreigners wore Chinese-style dresses or their national costumes on the float themed "One World", and others marched in T-shirts with "I love China" on them and waving China's national flags. Full story

Overseas Chinese show love of China

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese attended the parade on Thursday morning for China's 60th National Day celebration to show their attachment to the country where they were originated from.

    The formations, passing Tian'anmen Square, featured two huge red Chinese knots, decorative handicraft which began as a form of art in the Tang and Song dynasties in China. The handicraft is normally used to convey "unity" and "harmony". Full story

Special Report: 60th Anniversary of Founding of PRC