1. China National Day Parade
 China formally kicked off its mass
celebrations of 60 years of Socialism
with Chinese Characteristics rule with a
60-gun salute that rung out across
Beijing's historic Tiananmen Square
earlier today. Hundreds of thousands of
participants marched past Tiananmen
Square in costume or uniform, with
floats and dancers mingling with
soldiers and military hardware.
Collected here are photographs of the
once-in-a-decade National Day Military

3. President Hu Jintao
Top Chinese state and military leader Hu Jintao on Thursday inspected the
country's defense forces which will also stage a massive parade in Beijing in
celebration of the 60th founding anniversary founding of New China.
A black open-roof Red Flag limousine carried Hu, state president and chairman of
the Central Military Commission, eastward along Chang'an Avenue from the iconic
Tian'anmen Square shortly after the celebration started at 10 a.m..
Tens of thousands of soldiers and militia, together with ranks of camouflaged tanks
and missiles, stood along the newly widened boulevard and waited to be inspected.
The whole procession stretches some three kilometers.
"Greetings, comrades!" Hu, wearing a high-collared Mao suit, saluted troops through
a microphone.
"Greetings, leader!" Loudly replied the soldiers in brand new uniforms.
Hu then said "Comrades, you are working hard!" And the troops replied: "We serve
the people!"
Hu's inspection of the troops, the first in the past decade, preluded a full-dress
National Day military parade involving about 8,000 military personnel.
Fourteen phalanxes on feet are composed of the army, navy, air force and the
Second Artillery Force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the People's Armed
Police Force and reserved force.
PLA's young and mysterious Special Forces made their debut for the inspection.
A total of 30 phalanxes in wheeled transport displayed more than 50 types of new
weapon systems manufactured by China on its own, including the newest model of
intercontinental nuclear-capable ballistic missiles.
Other cutting-edge weaponry included China's new generation of tanks,
sophisticated radar, airborne early warning and control aircraft, unmanned aerial
vehicles and satellite communication devices. All the weapons are made in China.
More than 150 jet-fighters, bombers, helicopters and other aircraft in 12 echelons
will fly over the square, packed with some 200,000 people.

4. Top Chinese state and military leader Hu Jintao inspects the
country's defense forces which will also stage a massive parade in
Beijing in celebration of the 60th founding anniversary founding of
New China, Oct.1, 2009.

5. Top Chinese state and military leader Hu Jintao inspects the country's defense
forces which will also stage a massive parade in Beijing in celebration of the 60th
founding anniversary founding of New China, Oct.1, 2009. (Xinhua Photo)

6. Fang Fenghui (L), Beijing Military Zone commander and military parade
commander, reports to Hu Jintao (R), inviting him to inspect troops of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)

7. Chinese President Hu Jintao reviews soldiers before a parade in front of
Tiananmen Gate in Beijing to mark the 60th anniversary of the founding
of the PRC.

8. Chinese President Hu Jintao reviews the military personnel during the National Day

9. Hu Jintao, general
secretary of the
Central Committee of
the Communist Party
of China, Chinese
president and
chairman of the
Central Military
Commission, goes by
car inspecting troops
of the Chinese
People's Liberation
Army to take part in a
military parade for
celebration of the
60th anniversary of
the founding of the
People's Republic of
China, in central
Beijing, capital of
China, Oct. 1, 2009.
(Xinhua Photo)

10. In this aerial photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, participants 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. (AP Photo/Xinhua)

11. In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, the phalanx of the national
flag receives inspection in a parade in Beijing of the celebrations for the 60th
anniversary of the founding of China on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. (AP Photo/Xinhua,

12. China's President Hu Jintao (center) and other leaders review a parade
to mark China's 60th anniversary on October 1, 2009 in Beijing, China.

13. Invited guests watch the parade down Changan Ave. in Beijing,
China, on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. (Nelson Ching/Bloomberg)

14. Chinese military personnel march toward Tiananmen Square during the
National Day parade in Beijing on October 1, 2009. (STR/AFP/Getty

15. Female militia unit toting submachine guns and attired in red
miniskirts and white jackboots marched with precision display of
military bravado.

16. PLA sailors march past Tiananmen Square (Feng Li/Getty Images)

17. Chinese officers and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army
marched in front of Tiananmen Gate at the start of the military
parade to mark the 60th China anniversary in Beijing on
Thursday.

18. Soldiers from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) ground force
march in formation past Tiananmen Square during a massive parade to
mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. (REUTERS/Jason

19. Army cadets march in the parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the
founding of the PRC, in central Beijing, on Thursday Oct. 1, 2009. (AP

20. PLA sailors in white uniforms march past Tiananmen Square
during the celebration of China's 60th anniversary on October 1,
2009 in Beijing, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

21. Air Force cadets take part in the parade of the celebrations for the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in central Beijing,
capital of China, Oct. 1, 2009. (Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo)

22. A man takes pictures of PLA aircraft performing a fly-over during the
National Day parade in Beijing on October 1, 2009. (LIU JIN/AFP/Getty
Images)

23. Chinese military aircraft fly over Tiananmen Square
during the National Day parade in Beijing on October
1, 2009. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images)

24. Helicopters from the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) air force fly
in formation during a massive parade to celebrate the 60th anniversary of
the founding of the PRC. (REUTERS/David Gray)

25. PLA armored vehicles rumble past Tiananmen Square during the
National Day parade in Beijing on October 1, 2009.
(STR/AFP/Getty Images)

26. Armored vehicles roll down the street during a parade to mark the 60th anniversary of
the founding of the People's Republic of China, in central Beijing October 1, 2009.

27. Land forces vehicles march on the Chang'an Avenue during a parade in
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic
of China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

28. Armored vehicles of the Chinese armed police take part in a parade in celebration of the
60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing, October
1, 2009. [Xinhua]

29. Wheeled infantry vehicles take part in a parade in celebration of the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing,

30. PLA tanks roll past Tiananmen Square in a massive parade to mark the
60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in
Beijing October 1, 2009. (REUTERS/Nir Elias)

31. Tracked automatic anti-aircraft guns are displayed in a parade in
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's
Republic of China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

32. Anti-tank missile corps pass the Tian'anmen Square during a parade in
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's
Republic of China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009.

33. Equipment corps march through the Tian'anmen Square during a parade in
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of
China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009.[Xinhua]

34. PLA soldiers stand on military vehicles during a military parade marking
China's 60th anniversary near the Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China,
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009.

35. Anti-aircraft missiles take part in a parade in celebration of the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing,

36. Radar forces vehicles march on the Chang'an Avenue during a parade in
celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of
China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009.

37. Nuclear-capable missiles are displayed during a
military parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary
of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in
Beijing, October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

38. Land-based cruise missiles are displayed during a parade in celebration of the
60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing,
October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

39. Naval anti-ship missiles take part in a parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary
of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009.
[Xinhua]

40. Pilotless aircraft are displayed during a parade in celebration of the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing, October
1, 2009. [Xinhua]

41. Communication forces vehicles march on the Chang'an Avenue during a
parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's
Republic of China, in Beijing, October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

42. New-style conventional missiles are displayed during a parade in celebration of the
60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing,
October 1, 2009. [Xinhua]

43. Long-range rocket guns are displayed during a parade in celebration of the 60th
anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, in Beijing, October

44. New-style intermediate- and long-range ground-to-ground missiles are displayed
during a military parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of

45. Local residents watch the military parade on TV in a shopping mall in
Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan province, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009.

46. A man watches a huge overhead screen showing soldiers of the People's Liberation
Army marching, at a shopping mall in Beijing, China, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. (AP