To celebrate National Day, hundreds of thousands gathered at Tiananmen Square in central Beijing early this morning for the flag-raising ceremony. Chen Yuan reports. 

CHEN YUAN, Beijing "It's 6 am on October 1, 2024. Today marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and people from across the country have gathered here, brimming with excitement, to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. It's set to be held at 6:11 am, but to secure a spot, some got here much earlier."

"We arrived here at 4 am."
"We started queuing up at 1 am."
"At 5 am, we were already here."
"We started queuing up at 3 am."

The crowd watches with awe as the national flag is escorted into the square. 

For many here, watching the ceremony in person is a dream come true. As the Chinese national flag ascends, the Chinese Dream – a vision of prosperity, happiness, and unity – resonates in the hearts of the people.

TOURIST FROM CHONGQING "I'm 77 years old, and this is the first time I've seen the flag-raising ceremony. I'm glad we're here. I can't believe we're living such a good life. That's happiness."

STUDENT FROM XINJIANG "It's stunning. I've seen flag-raising ceremonies before, but witnessing it here feels different. I can feel the strength of our country."

TOURIST FROM ANHUI "I hope that Chinese people of all ethnic groups strive unitedly to advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

CHEN YUAN, Beijing "As the People's Republic of China celebrates 75 years of unity and progress, the Chinese people stand poised to forge ahead, committed to building a strong and prosperous nation. Chen Yuan, CGTN, Beijing."