Xi Jinping pays tribute to national heroes on Martyrs' Day

Chinese President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the state attended a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen national heroes at Tiananmen Square in central Beijing on Wednesday morning.

The event was held to mark China's 13th Martyrs' Day, a day ahead of National Day.

The other leaders included Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng. They were joined by representatives from all walks of life at the ceremony.

At 10 a.m., all participants sang the national anthem and then paid a silent tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the People's Republic of China.

Nine huge flower baskets were placed in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes. Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, and other leaders walked up to the foot of the monument, where he straightened the ribbons on the baskets before leading other senior officials in walking around the monument to pay tribute to the martyrs.

The ceremony was presided over by Yin Li, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC.

Martyrs' Day was established in 2014, with September 30 chosen to coincide with the day in 1949 when the foundation of the Monument to the People's Heroes was laid. The day commemorates those who gave their lives for national independence and prosperity.

It is estimated that China has about 20 million martyrs. Among them were many soldiers, revolutionaries and early communist leaders. Many ordinary Chinese people also sacrificed their lives for the common good.

Since the first Martyrs' Day, Xi has maintained the tradition of paying homage to fallen heroes on the occasion. 

Commemorations have also been held nationwide since the first Martyrs' Day. Local governments and social organizations organize public tribute ceremonies at memorial sites, while officials, students, soldiers and citizens present flowers at martyrs' cemeteries. Authorities also arrange visits to the families of martyrs to provide support, while online memorial platforms encourage people, especially younger generations, to learn about the heroes' deeds.

This year marks the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 105th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. It also marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March, which lasted from 1934 to 1936.