China's National Day, which falls on October 1, is the most cherished collective memory of the Chinese people. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, a new chapter has opened for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to advance in defense and military modernization, safeguarding the nation and its people.
Planes in the air during the military parade on October 1, 1949. /Xinhua Photo
A total of 14 military parades on the National Day and one on the Victory Day have been held in China in the past seven decades, all boasting grand scale and great significance.
National flag guards walk towards the flagpole in Tiananmen Square during the military parade on October 1, 2009. /VCG Photo
This year, a grand celebration on a never-before-seen scale will unfold on National Day to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC.
CGTN selected five major military parades held respectively in 1949, 1984, 1999, 2009 and 2015 to review PLA's achievements in the past seven decades and take a glimpse of China's efforts in building a fortified national defense and strong military for safeguarding the nation and world peace.
Screenshot of CGTN's visual product "Marching through 70 years: Five major military parades since founding of PRC". /CGTN Photo
Click here to find out more and stay tuned for the 2019 military parade.