Party, State leaders pay tribute to people's heroes
2024-10-01
President Xi Jinping walks in tribute around the Monument to the People's Heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Monday at an event to mark Martyrs' Day, which is annually observed one day before National Day. YIN BOGU/XINHUA
An overnight autumn rainfall in Beijing added a solemn touch to the grand annual ceremony that was held on Monday at Tian'anmen Square to mark the nation's 11th Martyrs' Day.
The ceremony fell on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other Party and State leaders attended the ceremony to present flower baskets to honor the people's heroes.
The top leaders, including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng, were joined by representatives from all walks of life at the ceremony.
In the center of the square, a giant flower basket with the words "best wishes for the motherland" represented the Chinese people's great shared hope for the country's future prosperity.
The Monument to the People's Heroes at the square featured two groups of flower beds decorated with 18 wreaths that included flowers such as white chrysanthemums.
In front of the monument, more than 2,400 representatives from all walks of life stood in lines with flowers in their hands.
Among them were veteran soldiers, relatives of martyrs, representatives of the recipients of national medals and national honorary titles, young students and children.
The trumpeters of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Military Band played solemnly, reminding people of the turbulent years in history.
President Xi and other Party and State leaders attend a ceremony to present flower baskets for people's heroes at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Monday. XIE HUANCHI/XINHUA
The ceremony officially began at 10 am. The military band played the national anthem, and the whole audience sang the anthem in unison.
Then everyone stood in silence, paying tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the People's Republic of China.
Afterward, children holding flowers sang and saluted the Monument to the People's Heroes.
The military band performed another solemn song for the flower presentation, while 18 soldiers steadily carried the flower baskets, walked slowly toward the monument, and placed the baskets at the base of the monument.
Xi, together with other Party and State leaders, stepped up to the foot of the monument, stopped at the flower baskets and then watched with great reverence.
Xi straightened the ribbons on the baskets before leading other senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay tribute.
Children and representatives from all walks of life also filed up to the monument in an orderly manner and laid flowers to pay homage.
China introduced and marked its first Martyrs' Day in 2014. The event falls on Sept 30 every year ahead of the country's National Day on Oct 1.
Since the first Martyrs' Day, Xi has made a tradition of paying tribute to the people's heroes on that day.
Every year on Martyrs' Day, local governments throughout the country organize public ceremonies to commemorate the martyrs.
At a ceremony awarding the highest State honors on Sunday, Xi called on the whole country to look to the heroes and forge ahead in unity to build a strong nation.
