Wikipedia

35th anniversary of the People's Republic of China

The 35th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (Chinese: 庆祝中华人民共和国成立35周年大会) was marked on 1 October 1984 with a military parade followed by a mass civilian parade in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, and with celebrations across the country.[2] It was the first National Day military parade in 25 years and the first at which China displayed domestically built weapons, including its intercontinental ballistic missiles. China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping reviewed the troops along Chang'an Avenue and gave a holiday address that called for peaceful reunification with Taiwan.

The 35th Anniversary of the Founding of The People's Republic of China
庆祝中华人民共和国成立35周年大会
GenreMilitary parade, mass pageant, music and dance gala
Date1 October 1984
FrequencySelect years[A]
LocationsChang'an Avenue, Tiananmen Square, Beijing, China
Coordinates39°54′26.4″N 116°23′27.9″E / 39.907333°N 116.391083°E / 39.907333; 116.391083
Previous event
30th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
Next event
40th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
ParticipantsPLA, PAP, the Militia, and other formations
Leader
Deng Xiaoping (chairman)
PeopleQin Jiwei (chief commander of the military parade)

Parade

edit

In mid-November 1983, the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party decided to hold a military parade for the following year's National Day; the parade leadership group and headquarters were established that December, and Yang Dezhi, the PLA Chief of the General Staff, headed the working group.[3] It was the first National Day military parade in 25 years, since the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China in 1959;[4] a parade planned for the 30th anniversary in 1979 had been scrapped after the Cultural Revolution and the death of Mao Zedong. The celebration was the first live Chinese television broadcast carried in the United States, through a joint venture between China Central Television and PBS.[5] The parade was commanded by General Qin Jiwei in his position as Commander of the Beijing Military Region. It marked the first time that someone other than the Minister of National Defense had inspected a National Day parade and the only time that a paramount leader who wasn't in a state or party position had inspected the parade. During the inspection, set to the march The People's Navy Marches Forward, the traditional greeting Long live the Chinese Communist Party and the response Long live the People's Republic of China were replaced with Comrades, you have worked hard! and the reply Serve the people!, to distinguish the event from Maoist-era parades.[B][6]

An excerpt of Deng's holiday address

We want peaceful reunification with Taiwan, which is part of our sacred territory. Our policy in this regard is also known to all and will not change. The desire for peaceful reunification of the motherland is taking hold in the hearts of the entire Chinese nation. It is an irresistible trend, and sooner or later it will become a reality. We hope that the people of all our nationalities, including our compatriots in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and those residing abroad, will work together for its early realization.[7]

It also marked the debut appearance of the regular honor guard companies and the color guard of the Beijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalion, which are the first to be inspected and march past dignitaries. Some 10,370 officers and soldiers took part, organised into 42 ground divisions and four airborne echelons.[8] A group of Peking University students raised a banner made from bedsheets reading "Hello Xiaoping" (小平您好; Xiǎopíng nín hǎo), to which Deng responded with a smile and a wave.[9] In an interview with the People's Daily two days later, Defence Minister Zhang Aiping was quoted as saying "The people of the whole country and all the men and officers of the Army saw with their own eyes that the troop were much better equipped", referring to the military technology and armaments that were showcased.[10] as it was the first to showcase Chinese made equipment.[11]

Leaders in attendance

edit
  1. Hu Yaobang (General Secretary of the CCP)
  2. Deng Xiaoping (CMC chairman and Advisory chairman)
  3. Zhao Ziyang (Premier, official master of ceremonies)
  4. Li Xiannian (President of China)
  5. Chen Yun, First Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection

[12]

Order of march

edit

The military parade began at 10:29 a.m.

Participating units

edit

In order of appearance (A bolded unit indicates that this is its first appearance)

Military vehicles

edit

Aircraft

edit

Music

edit

A 1,200-piece band accompanied the parade.

Welcome leaders
  1. Ode to the Motherland (歌唱祖国)
  2. March of the Volunteers (National Anthem of the People's Republic of China) (义勇军进行曲)
Troops review
  1. Troops Review March of the PLA (Inspection March of the PLA) (检阅进行曲)
  2. Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention (三大纪律八项注意)
  3. People's Navy, Marches Forward (人民海军向前进)
  4. Ready to Fly to the Battlefield (随时准备飞向战场)
  5. March of the Artillery Force (炮兵进行曲)
  6. March of the Motorized Troops (摩托化部队进行曲)
  7. March of the Armored Vehicles (战车进行曲)
  8. March of the Rocket Forces (火箭部队进行曲)
Military Parade, drive-by, and flyby
  1. Parade March of the People's Liberation Army (分列式进行曲)
  2. March of the Artillery Force (炮兵进行曲)
  3. March of the Motorized Troops (摩托化部队进行曲)
  4. March of the Armored Vehicles (战车进行曲)
  5. March of the Rocket Forces (火箭部队进行曲)
  6. Ready to Fly to the Battlefield (随时准备飞向战场)
Civilian parade
  1. Ode to the Motherland (歌唱祖国)
  2. On the Field of Hope (在希望的田野上); audio
  3. We Workers Have Strength (咱们工人有力量); audio
  4. China, China, the Bright Red Sun Never Sets (中国, 中国, 鲜红的太阳永不落); audio
  5. March of the Athletes (运动员进行曲)
  6. Toast Song (祝酒歌); audio
  7. Anthem of the Young Pioneers of China (中国少年先锋队队歌); audio

Card displays

edit

During the civilian parade, participants holding coloured cards and flowers formed five large patterns in turn: the national emblem with the years 1949 and 1984; 祖国万岁 (Zǔguó wànsuì; "Long live the motherland"); 振兴中华 (Zhènxīng Zhōnghuá; "Revitalize China"); 保卫和平 (Bǎowèi hépíng; "Defend peace"); and 中国共产党万岁 (Zhōngguó Gòngchǎndǎng wànsuì; "Long live the Chinese Communist Party").[13]

Notes

edit
  1. ↑ Since the founding of the people's republic until 2009, the country has held 14 National Day grand military parades in 1949–1959, 1984, 1999, and 2009.[1]
  2. ↑ The greeting 首长好 had been used during troop inspections since the time of Mao Zedong; since 2017, 主席好 has been used when the Chairman of the Central Military Commission (the president and general secretary) inspects.

References

edit
  1. ↑ 新中国历次大阅兵 [New China's previous grand military parades]. Chinese government web. Xinhua News Agency. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
  2. ↑ Lovejoy, Charles D. (11 April 2019). China's Military Reforms: International and Domestic Implications. Routledge. ISBN 9780429712180.
  3. ↑ Jiang, Tingyu (21 September 2019). 1984年国庆阅兵：中国战略导弹第一次揭开神秘面纱 [The 1984 National Day parade: China's strategic missiles unveiled for the first time]. Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China (in Chinese). Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  4. ↑ "Chinese military parade in 1984". People's Daily Online. Archived from the original on 6 October 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  5. ↑ "Building Bridges on the air". China Story. China International Communications Group. 16 June 2019. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  6. ↑ "1984 National Day military parade". China Daily. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Speech at the ceremony celebrating the 35th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China - China". Chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "The National Day military parade of 1984". CCTV. China Central Television. 17 June 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  9. ↑ 1984：小平您好 [1984: Hello Xiaoping]. Peking University News (in Chinese). Retrieved 27 June 2026.
  10. ↑ Dellios, Rosita (18 June 1989). Modern Chinese Defence Strategy: Present Developments, Future Directions. Springer. ISBN 9781349110490.
  11. ↑ Fuller, Linda K. (2004). National Days/National Ways: Historical, Political, and Religious Celebrations Around the World. Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 9780275972707.
  12. ↑ Wren, Christopher S. (2 October 1984). "China Displays Its Big Missiles on Anniversary". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  13. ↑ "The 35th anniversary of the People's Republic" (PDF). China Heritage Quarterly (in Chinese). Australian National University. 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=35th_anniversary_of_the_People%27s_Republic_of_China&oldid=1361332939"