BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state attended a ceremony at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing on Friday morning to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes.
The event was held to commemorate Martyrs’ Day, which falls on September 30, a day ahead of China’s National Day. At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem, and thereafter paid a silent tribute to those who devoted their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people and the building of the People’s Republic of China, which was founded on October 1, 1949. Nine huge flower baskets – presented in the name of the CPC Central Committee, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council and other organizations and groups – stood before the crowd.
After honor guards laid the baskets in front of the monument, Xi and other leaders walked up to the foot of the monument, where the Chinese president straightened the red ribbons on the baskets before leading other senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay their tributes.
They were joined later by representatives from various sectors of society, including veterans, retired officials and relatives of the fallen heroes. “The heroes of the people shall live forever in our memory,” the ribbons on flower baskets read. China has a long tradition of commemorating and honoring martyrs and other heroes who contributed greatly to the nation’s development. Incomplete statistics suggest China has about 20 million martyrs. However, as many of them did not leave their names in warring days, only about two million martyrs have been enlisted in the government’s directory.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
