BEIJING, October 1 (Xinhua) — Thursday morning, well before dawn, Tian’anmen Square was already vibrating with a palpable effervescence. More than 100,000 people from all over China had gathered in the heart of Beijing to attend the national flag raising ceremony, marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
At about 6:10 a.m., the national anthem resonated on the square. The crowd sang in unison, with eyes riveted on the five-star red flag rising in the sky. For many, the emotion was palpable and tears flowed.
When a large flight of white doves flew into the air, cheers and applause emerged from the crowd, filling the place with joy.
Children were waving national flags running, young people were chatting and laughing with stickers in their country’s colours on their cheeks, and older visitors, dressed in colourful and festive clothing, were smiling for group photos in front of an 18-metre-high basket of flowers in the centre of the square.
The festive atmosphere extended far beyond the capital. Across the country, many streets were pavoured with national flags and floral compositions, while residential areas were decorated with traditional Chinese lanterns and nodes.
“Every time I walk past these flower beds, I feel inspired,” said Gao Feng, a food delivery company that crossed Chang’an Avenue, a main artery in central Beijing.
” I sincerely believe that if everyone does their job well and proceeds step by step, we can build a better future,” said Gao.
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders paid tribute to the heroes who had fallen into battle at a martyrs’ day memorial ceremony, honouring those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the PRC.
China also awarded the Chinese government’s 2026 Friendship Award to 50 foreign experts in recognition of their contribution to China’s development and to the friendship and cooperation between China and other countries.BEIJING, October 1 (Xinhua) — Thursday morning, well before dawn, Tian’anmen Square was already vibrating with a palpable effervescence. More than 100,000 people from all over China had gathered in the heart of Beijing to attend the national flag raising ceremony, marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
At about 6:10 a.m., the national anthem resonated on the square. The crowd sang in unison, with eyes riveted on the five-star red flag rising in the sky. For many, the emotion was palpable and tears flowed.
When a large flight of white doves flew into the air, cheers and applause emerged from the crowd, filling the place with joy.
Children were waving national flags running, young people were chatting and laughing with stickers in their country’s colours on their cheeks, and older visitors, dressed in colourful and festive clothing, were smiling for group photos in front of an 18-metre-high basket of flowers in the centre of the square.
The festive atmosphere extended far beyond the capital. Across the country, many streets were pavoured with national flags and floral compositions, while residential areas were decorated with traditional Chinese lanterns and nodes.
“Every time I walk past these flower beds, I feel inspired,” said Gao Feng, a food delivery company that crossed Chang’an Avenue, a main artery in central Beijing.
” I sincerely believe that if everyone does their job well and proceeds step by step, we can build a better future,” said Gao.
On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders paid tribute to the heroes who had fallen into battle at a martyrs’ day memorial ceremony, honouring those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the PRC.
China also awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award 2026 to 50 foreign experts in recognition of their contribution to China’s development and to friendship and cooperation between China and other countries.
OUTSTANDING PROGRESS
77 years ago, the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong stood at the Tian’anmen gallery and proclaimed the birth of the People’s Republic of China, marking a decisive turning point in Chinese history.
Over the decades that followed, China had moved from a poor country to the second world economy and to a major country that was gradually becoming a world leader.
By 2025, China’s GDP had exceeded 140 trillion yuan (about US$19.6 trillion), representing about one sixth of world GDP, while China continued to contribute about 30 per cent to global economic growth.
Economic growth has resulted in higher incomes and longer life expectancy. Per capita disposable income increased from 49.7 yuan in 1949 to 43,377 yuan in 2025, while average life expectancy more than doubled from 35 to 79.25 years.
The country has eradicated extreme poverty and established the largest education, social protection and health systems in the world. In recent decades, China has experienced one of the largest and fastest urbanization processes in the world. Formerly predominantly agricultural, China now has about twice as many urban than rural inhabitants.
China has become a global manufacturing power, producing a wide range of goods, from new-energy vehicles to industrial robots to advanced electronic chips. In 2025, production of new-energy vehicles exceeded 16 million units, while production of industrial robots and integrated circuits increased by 28% and 10.9% respectively.
It has emerged as one of the fastest growing innovation forces in the world, making major progress in leading-edge areas such as artificial intelligence, biomedicine and quantum technologies. It has made breakthroughs in rocket recovery technologies, both land and sea.
These changes have also shaped the way in which China interacts with the rest of the world. More and more people around the world are discovering an increasingly innovative and culturally dynamic China through direct encounters. At the same time, his experience had opened up new opportunities for developing countries to achieve modernization.
” We are immensely proud of the extraordinary achievements of New China and have full confidence in the promising prospects of Chinese modernization,” said Xi Jinping, also Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and President of the Central Military Commission, at a reception on the eve of the national holiday.
FORTHCOMING TRAVEL
For visitors, the gigantic basket of flowers in the heart of Tian’anmen Square serves as a decor for holiday photos. But much more, it symbolizes China’s future.
This year marks the beginning of the 15th five-year plan, which runs from 2026 to 2030. The basket presents 15 types of floral motifs and five types of fruit, symbolizing the hope of abundant flowering and fruitful results over the next five years.
Beyond the basket of flowers, ten three-dimensional floral installations border Chang’an Avenue, illustrating themes such as new productive forces of quality, harmony between man and nature, urban renewal and the beauty of rural spaces. Together, they highlight some of China’s development priorities for the next five years.
These priorities are based on concrete objectives. The plan aims to lay the foundation for doubling GDP per capita by 2035 compared to 2020, while accelerating major technological advances in key sectors. It also plans to increase the average length of schooling of the working-age population to 11.7 years and life expectancy to 80 years, while strengthening China’s cultural influence.
The period of the 15th Five Year Plan represents a crucial window of opportunity to lay a solid foundation for China’s 2035 goal of achieving socialist modernization and decisive progress in this direction.
The plan includes sections on Hong Kong and Macao, detailing measures to support better integration and increased contribution of the two regions to the overall development of the country. In September, Hong Kong unveiled its first five-year plan, while Macao published its third in August, both in line with the national development strategy.
Since the beginning of the year, China’s economy has continued to grow despite pressure and has achieved high quality, innovation-oriented development, while demonstrating strong resilience and vitality, said Xi at Wednesday’s reception.
“As long as we remain confident, focused on our goals and move steadily, step by step, success will ultimately belong to the great CCP, the great Chinese people and the great PRC,” Xi added.