China's rise in science and technology could not be better reflected than by its homegrown high-speed trains, jumbo jets and satellites projects, and such advancements were fully displayed on floats marching through Beijing's Tian'anmen Square on Tuesday as part of the celebrations marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
The floats representing China's high-tech sector carried sculptures and models that showcased the country's key achievements in science and technology, such as the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), and C919 large passenger jet.
Sculptures of high-speed trains, space station and submersible technology were on display, signaling China's capability of building an innovation-driven country and its contribution to the world in the fields of technology and science.
Three floats formed a set of domestically-built Fuxing Hao (rejuvenation) bullet trains, which were launched in 2017.
Scientific breakthroughs have provided new momentum for China's development, such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and 5G technology.
Technology is the main driving force for manufacturing, and innovation proves the driving force for development in the country.
China's research and development spending stood at over 1.96 trillion yuan (about 293 billion U.S. dollars) in 2018, which increased to 2.18 percent of its GDP, up by 0.06 percentage points, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
China also highlighted its progress in terms of environmental protection and pollution management during the grand National Day celebrations.
A formation consisting of environmentalists, ecologists and researchers marched through the Tian'anmen Square, highlighting their efforts in battling environmental problems.
The float highlighted China's ongoing transformation towards a sustainable development model and becoming an ecological civilization.
With more blue skies, cleaner water and greener mountains, China has witnessed continuous improvements in its ecological environment over the past years.
Data show that China's total investment in controlling environmental pollution in 2017 reached 953.9 billion yuan (138.6 billion U.S. dollars), 7.2 times more than that of 2001, maintaining an average annual growth rate of 14 percent.
The country is stepping up its efforts to protect the environment. Last year, the Chinese government implemented a new environmental tax policy, effectively ending a pollutant discharge fee that had been in effect for about 40 years.