China's flag-raising ceremony on National Day

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‍October 1 marks the 68th birthday of the People's Republic of China, and the flag-raising ceremony in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on this day is a special occasion for many.

This year's ceremony included the line-up and parade of the flag raisers and guards, the raising of the Five-Star Red Flag amid the "March of the Volunteers," the National Anthem of China, and the huge crowd watching the event.

Nearly 80,000 people, many of whom had traveled a long way, were there to witness the national flag-raising ceremony, at sunrise on Chinese National Day, the highlight of their seven-day trip to the Chinese capital.

After a long journey, He Rong and her family have finally arrived in Tiananmen Square, the heart of the Chinese capital.

“I feel the strength of our motherland and its changes. Years ago I was in Beijing once, but just saw the national flag from a very, very long distance, at three or four o'clock in the morning," said He Rong.

Tourist He Rong and her daughter Guo Heyichen /CGTN

She is just one of more than 10,000 people who have come to Tiananmen Square for the annual ceremony, which begins at ten minutes past six in the morning. Many of them have come early, directly from the airport or the city's major train stations, trying to find the best vantage point or get as close as possible.

Anticipating the huge crowd, local authorities have assigned extra staff to police the general area, limiting certain areas to ensure order and safety.

The flag raising ceremony officially began at 6:10 a.m. on the day when the top of the sun touches the city from the view of the square. A guard of honor escorted the flag, marching 138 steps to the flagpole. The crowd hushed so much that one can actually hear the soldiers’ footsteps in one of the world’s largest squares.

China's flag-raising ceremony on October 1 in Beijing /CGTN Photo

The flag raising took only 48 seconds. However, for many, it was their first time to experience such a spectacle, and it's one they'll never forget.

“I am very happy, as I have been looking forward to today for a long time. It's my first time here. I am over 80 years old, and now I have no regret," said a senior tourist from Sichuan Province.

Over the next seven days, millions of Chinese will visit tourist hotspots all over the country, with many choosing Beijing this time around. But only a lucky few can say they witnessed China's official flag-raising ceremony on National Day.