Xinhua News | A touch of Chinese red, witnessing the journey across the times

Xinhua News | A touch of Chinese red, witnessing the journey across the times

It’s October in Beijing, the sky is high and the clouds are light.

Under the bright lights of Tiananmen Square, people from all over the world, wearing stars and moon, went to the "National Flag Covenant". With ardent and sincere expectations, 101,000 people are waiting for the five-star red flag to rise against the rising sun.

The National Day flag-raising ceremony in 2026 will be extraordinarily grand. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army’s Long March and the first year of the “15th Five-Year Plan”. A red flag connects the original intention that has remained unchanged for seventy-seven years, inherits the fire of the ninety-year Long March, and illuminates the new journey of Chinese-style modernization.

At about 6:05, under the morning light, the flag-protecting phalanx of the national flag guard came from the arched gate of Tiananmen. The sonorous and powerful footsteps crossed the Jinshui Bridge and crossed Chang'an Avenue, resonating with the heartbeats of hundreds of millions of Chinese people.

In the early morning of October 1, a grand flag-raising ceremony was held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Huanzong

Yang Zihao, a student from Shenyang Agricultural University, who spontaneously led everyone to sing "Ode to the Motherland" before the ceremony began, was so excited that he was speechless. Although it was not his first time to watch the flag-raising, he still burst into tears at this scene, "I hope to use my professional knowledge to contribute to the prosperity of the motherland."

At 6:10, "Salute to the national flag!" the honor guard members shouted loudly, and the entire audience stood in awe. "March of the Volunteers" resounded through the square. Amid the singing, the five-star red flag was hunting in the wind and rising slowly.

In the early morning of October 1, a grand flag-raising ceremony was held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yin Gang

Looking back at the past, we can see that over the past century, the Chinese Communists have overcome thorns and moved forward.

Jian Xinyi, a 101-year-old volunteer soldier who came overnight to attend the flag-raising ceremony, raised his right hand in salute and shouted "Long live" four times. Li Yiming, a student from Changjiang Primary School in Suihua, Heilongjiang, came to Beijing for the first time, and his first stop was to watch the flag raising. He said he was very excited and the motherland is so great.

At the northwest corner of Jianguo Gate, on the "Long March Continues" flower bed, the silhouette of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March, sunflowers and other elements, and the large characters "The 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March" are particularly eye-catching. The turbulent years in the depths of history are approaching, and the spiritual beliefs tempered by the Long March have never faded.

Looking at today, thousands of industries are booming with vitality. The power of faith guides the new era and new journey.

The first stage of the Zhuque-3 Yao-2 launch vehicle was successfully recovered, and the "Dream" ocean drilling ship advanced into the deep sea; the construction of the low-orbit satellite Internet system continued to advance, and the Pinglu Canal connected the land and sea channels... From reaching the moon in nine days to exploring the sea in five oceans, the great power project continued to advance. On the west side of Chang'an Street and at the northeast corner of Fuxing Gate, the "Go Forward" flower bed features a galloping horse as the main scene. The words "Strive forward in the 15th Five-Year Plan and work hard to open a new game" unfold a magnificent picture of the future.

In the early morning of October 1, a grand flag-raising ceremony was held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Huanzong

The flag was raised to the top, and cheers and celebrations poured in. The audience either waved the national flag in their hands or raised their smiling faces painted with the national flag. The bright Chinese red was the most affectionate tribute to the motherland.

The red flags are rolling, and the mountains and rivers are getting renewed day by day. Chang'an Street is in full bloom, and the large flower basket in the center of Tiananmen Square shines in the sun. On the tower, the dove of peace spreads its wings and dances with the rising sun.

Zhang Ziwang, a nurse from Langfang, Hebei Province, came to see the flag raising for the 22nd time. Before leaving, I was still taking care of patients. After watching the ceremony, I immediately took the high-speed train to return to work. But at every important moment, he insisted on coming - "Every time, it's a different shock."

In the early morning of October 1, a grand flag-raising ceremony was held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. This is the release of the peace dove after the flag-raising ceremony. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ju Huanzong

The firepower is passed down from generation to generation, and the steps are kept going.

At this moment, the vast land of more than 9.6 million square kilometers is full of life. We are extremely proud of the world-renowned achievements of New China and are confident in the bright future of Chinese-style modernization. Hundreds of millions of Chinese people are advancing with the times, walking with the motherland, and striding forward on a new journey.