China celebrates 70 years of communism with massive military parade

China is celebrating its 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with a massive military parade, showcasing its most advanced weapons.

 

It is China’s most important and high-profile event of the year. The official ceremonies began on Monday with Chinese President Xi Jinping paying his respects to the founder of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) Mao Zedong's embalmed body in Beijing.

 

President Xi, accompanied by six other members of the CPC's Standing Committee, visited Mao's Mausoleum.

 

Later, addressing a reception at the Great Hall of the People to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) President Xi said, over the past 70 years, the Chinese people under the leadership of the ruling CPC had successfully blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics and advanced socialism with Chinese characteristics into a new era.

 

Hailing the remarkable achievements made by the Chinese people, Xi said Chinese nation has been able to reduce the absolute poverty to a great extent.

 

The



main event of the celebrations of the day was the largest parade held by the Chinese military involving 15,000 troops and a display of the nation's latest nuclear and hypersonic missiles, besides stealth aircraft and a host of other weaponry to showcase its military might.

 

On 1st October 1949, Mao Zedong - or Chairman Mao - announced the formation of the PRC, after communist forces won a bloody civil war.

 

The celebrations came at a time when the country is facing serious political and economic challenges. The parade is being held in the shadow of unending protests in Hong Kong where thousands of people have taken to the streets in protest against what they say is increasing control by Beijing over the territory's society and politics.

 

While China is grappling with its economic slowdown, it is also waging a grim trade war with the US. US President Donald Trump started the trade war in June last year, demanding China to reduce massive trade deficit which last year climbed to over 539 billion US Dollars. Both the countries have slapped additional tariffs on each other's export goods.