Reading Comprehension

Read the news article entitled, "China Celebrates 60 Years of Achievement Under Communist Rule" extracted from the link:
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-01-voa8.cfm?renderforprint=1
and "China Loud and Proud" from the link:
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=10&art_id=88655&sid=25571469&con_type=3

China has showcased its military capabilities, as well as its economic and social progress, in a huge parade to mark the 60th anniversary of the Communist state.

A troop of young women sang "Happy Birthday" to their homeland, in honor of the 60th anniversary of the day Chairman Mao Zedong declared the founding of modern China from Tiananmen Gate.

China's current leader, Hu Jintao, wore what has come to be called a Mao suit. His colleagues, and past leaders, all dressed in Western suits.

President Hu stood in an open-topped Red Flag limousine to review the troops. Then, he stood in the same place as Mao on the Tiananmen Gate, to pay tribute to all the achievements that brought China to where it is today.

Mr. Hu says "long live the great People's Republic of China, the great Chinese Communist Party and the great Chinese people.

"He also adds that China will maintain a policy of peace and develop friendly cooperation with all nations.

His words were meant to allay any fears conjured up by Thursday's hour-long show of China's military strength. After Mr. Hu's speech, thousands of soldiers marched past - many of them escorting military hardware.

The highlights were several new missiles, including a ballistic missile that can carry a nuclear warhead and another one that has been nicknamed the "aircraft carrier killer." China also showcased new mobile radar units, unmanned drones and helicopters - equipment state-run TV announcers said would be useful for the "new information-based environment.

"Floats celebrating developments in areas such as agriculture, industry and science followed the military procession. Each of China's provinces, autonomous regions and special administrative regions contributed a float. There was even a float to represent Taiwan, a separately governed island that China claims as its territory.

Tens of thousands of people, waving brightly colored fans or flowers, surrounded the floats or marched on their own. Performers wearing ethnic costumes danced and sang to show harmony. Thousands of children came at the end of the parade, to represent hopes for China's future.

Bride and groom on China's 60th Anniversary, 1 Oct 2009Across Beijing, residents tried to carry on with their lives, despite the parade's extensive disruptions to traffic. Twenty-two year-old groom Shen Wei said it is more joyful to have his wedding on this day.Shen says he and his bride, Tan Yue, especially picked the date because it is China's National Day.

Official media say there are tens of thousands of couples around the country who are taking advantage of the auspicious date to get married.

And for all Thursday's celebrations - big and small - the skies in Beijing were clear and blue, a striking departure from the heavy fog of a day earlier.

China loud and proud
Friday, October 02, 2009

China has celebrated 60 years of communist rule with a massive military parade and elaborate pageantry on Beijing's Tiananmen Square showcasing the nation's revival as a global power.
Thousands of troops marched in tight formations, fighter jets flew over the city and the world's largest military displayed an array of high-tech weaponry including intercontinental ballistic missiles in a patriotic show of force.

President Hu Jintao extolled the country's Communist Party-led rebirth in a speech to the invitation-only crowd from Tiananmen gate, where Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic on October 1, 1949.

"The development and progress of the new China over the past 60 years fully proved that only socialism can save China, and only reform and opening up can ensure the development of China, socialism and Marxism," Hu told the crowd.

The nation typically holds grand celebrations every 10 years to commemorate Mao's pronouncement, but authorities promised that this year's festivities would top those in the past - and outdo last year's Olympic opening ceremony.

The government wants to send a clear message: that China, the world's third- largest economy and with a population of 1.3 billion, has re-emerged as a proud and undeniable global force. Hu, in a high-collared Mao-style tunic, underlined this confidence in his speech before a packed square festooned in the nation's red and yellow. "Today a socialist China that faces the future is standing
tall and firm in the East."

An estimated 200,000 people took part in the lavish morning festivities, which unfolded under clear blue skies.

Flexing its growing muscle, Beijing paraded long-range nuclear missiles capable of striking the heart of the United States and other homegrown weaponry signaling that a nation once bullied by foreign powers is a pushover no more.

The military show was followed by a colorful parade, with tens of thousands marching and singing in unison in a testament to China's ability to harness its vast manpower on a massive scale.

Besides goose-stepping troops, squads of pink-clad women "volunteers" dubbed the "iron roses" marched in go- go boots, while thousands of other participants danced around waving flowing fans, pompoms and bouquets of flowers.

National sports heroes such as hurdler Liu Xiang and former Olympic gymnastics champion Li Ning rode on one of a series of brightly decorated floats lauding the country's achievements over six decades.

Giant portraits of leaders from Mao to Hu were paraded past the square, which was filled with 80,000 children flipping hand-held cards spelling out messages such as "Socialism is Good" and "Long Live China."

Despite the burst of pride, official insecurity has also been on clear display - authorities have imposed draconian security in a bid to prevent an array of perceived threats from spoiling the party. As a result, most of Beijing's 17 million citizens were relegated to watching the pageant in their hometown on television like the rest of China.

The show ended around midday but authorities kept central Beijing shut down ahead of another mass performance at the square last night punctuated by what state media said was the world's biggest fireworks display.

The Mao-led 1949 communist takeover ended years of foreign domination and war, while three decades of economic reforms initiated by late leader Deng Xiaoping enriched China and propelled it back into the ranks of world powers.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE