China marks 60th anniversary with tanks and female air regiment

Tanks on Tiananmen Square in central Beijing. President Hu Jintao received a military parade in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on October 1.

A total of 56 regiments took part in the 14th military parade since the creation of the People’s Republic of China

Fourteen regiments marched in files while another 30 were transported by military vehicles

Aircraft and helicopters from 12 air regiments flew over the square

China exhibited 52 new types of domestically developed military equipment during the parade. Most of them were shown to the public for the first time

Radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, helicopters, communication satellites, and missiles, including ballistic, were among the newest pieces of Chinese weaponry

Almost 5,000 troops marched on the square in 14-file columns

Infantry was followed by military vehicles…

…tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled guns, mobile missile systems and other types of vehicle

An air regiment fully manned with female personnel took part in the parade for the first time

The march was followed by a flight of about 150 aircraft over the square

RIA Novosti was the only Russian news agency to be allowed to cover the parade directly from Tiananmen Square. The screening and selection of reporters was thorough: media passes were distributed only five hours prior to the parade.

Over 100,000 people took part in a march, which followed the military parade

The current parade involved more foreigners than ever before

About 200 foreigners - from Australia, Belgium, Germany, India, Italy, Canada, the U.S, Turkey and France joined the civilian procession on the Tiananmen Square

All foreign participants in the parade either live, study or work in China

Many foreign participants in the procession brought their families

Rehearsals for the parade were conducted all summer

The previous military parade on the Tiananmen Square was held on October 1, 1999, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China