China’s National Day Celebrations on 1st October
As per China Highlights, officially the National Day of the People’s Republic of Chinais annually celebrated on October 1st to commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
Chinese people enjoy a 7-day holiday from Oct. 1st to 7th, which is known as Golden Week. There are usually many activities held around the country, especially in Beijing.
This one-week period is the biggest week for tourism in China when people have a week off to reunite with families and take trips.
On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People’s Republic of China from the Tiananmen Gate,raising the first Communist national flag of China in person amid 300,000 soldiers and other people who were gathered at the square to mark the Victory Day, the end of a bitter civil war between the Chinese nationalist government and the Chinese Communist Party under the leadership of Mao.
In December 1949, the Chinese government passed the resolution making October 1 as the National Day of the People’s Republic of China.
China’s National Day is celebrated throughout the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau with a variety of activities.
Public places are decorated with flags and flowers. Beijing hosts the biggest celebrations. The highlight of the national celebrations in Beijing is the national civil-military parade.
It is now not held annually, but on a small scale every 5 years and on a large scale every 10 years.
On October 1, there is a special flag raising ceremony at Tiananmen Square. The square is decorated festively with flags and portraits. Exactly at sunrise, uniformed troops march out to start the flag raising ceremony.
On China’s National Day,as recognition of services rendered by a number of individuals as role models to the Chinese people, in contributing to the growth of the economy and the nation’s sporting prestige, in fostering diplomatic relations with countries of the world and preserving and promoting Chinese culture by their appointment as recipients of national medals and national honorary titles in the name of the state.
The President and General Secretary is the presiding officer of the awarding ceremony. This year (2022), China will observe its National Day on Oct. 1-7, commemorating the 73rd anniversary of the People’s Republic of China.
Official events to mark the country’s founding are likely around Tiananmen Square and other prominent sites in Beijing.
On 1st October every year, the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad organizes a reception with beautiful cultural activities and serves the guests with Chinese food.
The cultural troupes perform Chinese cultural drills. Chinese companies in Pakistan also celebrate the National Day with full spirit and organize various activities involving the huge number of Pakistani friends and employees.
Pakistani media projects China’s National Day within print media as special feature articles regarding China as well as through digital media showing the Chinese documentaries.
On the National Day of China, there is a celebratory mood in Pakistan. Being all weather friends of China since 1951, the Government of Pakistan and its people congratulate the Chinese Government, and its people on the occasion of National Day.
It shows the deep friendship and strategic partnership between the two neighbors, and having a shared destiny based on Xi Jinping’s vision of taking the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative with China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as its flagship project, to share the economic development with its neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan being China’s Iron Brother and all weather friend.
The important landmark agreements signed between the two countries making them all weather friends, Iron brothers and strategic partners are worth mentioning.
Pakistan and China concluded boundary agreement through negotiations in 1963. Agreement on Scientific and Cultural Cooperation was signed in 1976.
The Karakoram Highway, a construction miracle, linking the mountainous Northern Pakistan with Western China was completed and officially opened in 1978.
The contract to jointly develop and produce the JF-17 was signed in 1999. “Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Good Neighborly Relations” was signed between the two countries in 2005.
Chinese President Xi Jinping undertook a landmark visit to Pakistan in 2015 and both countries signed over 50 documents including agreement on CPEC outlining projects worth 46 USD.
Also, in 2018, Pakistan and China signed Free Trade Agreement. On National Day of China every year, many universities and schools in Pakistan organize various activities to celebrate China’s National Day, including essay and poetry competitions, photo exhibitions and cultural events.
Think Tanks in Pakistan also organize seminars and conferences regarding China as part of the celebrations.
In Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and other major cities, ceremonies are also held by China related institutes and forums to celebrate the Chinese National Day, where officials of the Chinese Embassy/Consulate are invited, to congratulate them at the occasion and highlight the significance of Pakistan-China friendship/Strategic Partnership.
On China’s National Day, all over Pakistan, the people feel very cheerful and express their good sentiments about China to reflect Pakistan-China strong bonds of friendship and thank China for assisting Pakistan in its economic development based on the CPEC related projects, which are and will assist Pakistan to meet its, energy shortages, improving roads, railways and telecommunications infrastructure/network, in building special economic/industrial zones, in modernizing agriculture, industry, computer technology and in training Pakistani man power in technical skills.
Therefore, every year there is a festive mood in Pakistan on the National Day of China, as the Pakistan Government and the Pakistani people know that the completion of the CPEC related economic projects being done with the cooperation of China will certainly enhance Pakistan’s trade, its economic growth rate, create employment for the people and will enhance their incomes and in the overall scenario this economic development will ultimately bring prosperity to the Pakistan and its people and will also help Pakistan in alleviating poverty.
Therefore, the Government and the people of Pakistan very rightly take pride in looking joyful on the occasion of China’s National Day on 1st October every year.
—The writer is also a former Research Fellow of IPRI and Senior Research Fellow of SVI Islamabad.
