China has rallied to honor and remember deceased national heroes on Martyrs' Day. President Xi Jinping led senior leaders, in paying a silent tribute and offering flower baskets at the Monument to the People's Heroes. CGTN's Su Yuting reports from Tiananmen Square in downtown Beijing.  

 

One day before National Day at the Monument to the People's Heroes, a solemn yet emotional commemoration in honor of the country's martyrs. The marble tablet, the foundations of which were laid on September 30th, 68 years ago, stand tall against the sky of early autumn in Beijing, over a crowd of people holding chrysanthemums. It's a silent and respectful moment for the heroes. President Xi Jinping together with other senior leaders and thousands of representatives from all walks of life, then sang the national anthem and laid flower baskets in tribute. They walked around the monument, paying respect to those who sacrificed their lives for China's independence and liberation from the First Opium War in 1840, to the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. It's estimated that China has about 20 million martyrs. But only 1.93 million of them have been named in government records, while the rest remain unidentified. 

 

SU YUTING BEIJING "Commemorative activities will be held across the country on September 30th, a date set by China's top legislature as Martyrs' Day. The inscription on the monument reads: "The People's heroes are immortal". And they are. People around China will honor and remember those who paid the ultimate price for their country to enjoy an era of peace and growth. Su Yuting, CGTN, Beijing."