BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- With the song of "Steering China" echoing a passionate melody, about 4,000 children paraders along with a ship-shaped float passed Tian'anmen Rostrum in central Beijing Thursday, starting to conclude the mass pageant celebrating the 60th founding anniversary of New China.

A student smiles while attending the celebrations for the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on the Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009.(Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)Photo Gallery>>>

    Themed "Bright Future" and entirely made up of children, this part conveyed the message to the world that children are the future of the country and will be successors to the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

    The backdrop in Tian'anmen Square presented a slogan of "Prosperity, Democracy, Civilization, Harmony", referring to China's goal of building a modernized socialist country in 2049, or a hundred years after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

    "Steering China" is a newly-composed song ahead of the National Day celebration.

Civilian pageant highlights China's 60-year rise to world stage

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Civilian formations marched in Tian'anmen Square as another centerpiece of the National Day fete marking the 60th birthday of the People's Republic of China.

    Leading the mass pageant was the formation presenting the national flag and national emblem. A total of 1,949 young men held up and escorted the flag, the largest-yet displayed during China's national day parades in Tian'anmen. The flag weighs about 150 kilograms and covers nearly 600 square meters, bigger than a basketball court. Full story

Civilian parade begins on Tian'anmen Square

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Civilian paraders marched through Tian'anmen Square Thursday morning as another centerpiece of the National Day fete to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

    Leading the mass pageant was the formations presenting the national flag and national emblem. Full story

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

Dazzling Taiwan float joins "Splendid China" formation

    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.

    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. 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

Float demonstrates Chinese cultural prosperity

    BEIJING, Oct.1 (Xinhua) -- A float with a shining fan-shaped picture of traditional Peking opera performer on a civilian parade formation showcased Chinese cultural prosperity since the founding of the People's Republic of China six decades ago.

    Paraders dressed in long-sleeved shirts and white pants marched past the Tian'anmen Rostrum. A banner on the float reads "promoting the socialist cultural development and prosperity". Full story

Float depicts China's rural transformation at National Day parade

    BEIJING, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Jubilant Chinese farmers performed folk dance on a float moving past Tian'anmen Square Thursday morning, revealing their rejoice at New China's grandest National Day parade.

    With a theme of "Constructing the socialist new countryside", the float was surrounded by farmer representatives wearing colorful folk clothes and waving wheatears. Full story