In Pictures

In Pictures: 70 years of Communist China

As China holds its most important event of the year, President Xi Jinping pledges ‘peaceful development’.

Performers with bicycles take part in the parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People''s Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee — Performers with bicycles take part in the parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China on its National Day in Beijing. [Jason Lee/Reuters]

China is celebrating its growing power and confidence with a massive display of military hardware and goose-stepping troops in Beijing on Tuesday, overseen by President Xi Jinping who pledged peaceful development on the 70th birthday of Communist China.

The event is the country’s most important of the year as China looks to project its assurance in the face of mounting challenges, including nearly four months of anti-government protests in Hong Kong and an economy-sapping trade war with the United States.

Xi, dressed in a slate-grey “Mao” suit and accompanied by his predecessors Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, said China will pursue a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up.

The parade of 15,000 soldiers, 70 elaborate floats and 100,000 civilians, which lasted more than two hours, was a proud moment for many Chinese citizens watching the spectacle across the country on television.

Chinese President Xi Jinping waves from a vehicle as he reviews the troops at a military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People''s Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, Chi — Chinese President Xi Jinping waves from a vehicle as he reviews the troops at a military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic. [Thomas Peter/Reuters]

Army vehicles roll down during a parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) — New weapons - including a hypersonic ballistic nuclear missile capable of breaching anti-missile defences to reach the US - were rolled out across the tarmac. [Ng Han Guan/AP]

Participants march during the celebration to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) — Authorities in Beijing closed roads, banned the flying of kites, and even ordered pigeons to be caged amid tightened security for the invitation-only event to celebrate China's journey from war-ravaged country to the world's second-largest economy. [Ng Han Guan/AP Photo]

A formation of military airplanes, one KJ-2000 airborne early warning and control aircraft and eight J-10 multirole fighter jets, fly over Beijing during a military parade at Tiananmen Square on Octob — A formation of military aeroplanes - one KJ-2000 airborne early warning and control aircraft and seven J-10 multirole fighter jets - fly over Beijing during the military parade at Tiananmen Square. [Wang Zhao/AFP]

Militia members march in formation past Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People''s Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1 — Soldiers march in formation past Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China in Beijing. [Thomas Peter/Reuters]

Members of a Chinese military honor guard march during the the celebration to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Ng Han Gu — China staged its biggest ever military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic. [Ng Han Guan/AP Photo]

Balloons are seen above performers at the end of the parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People''s Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas P — After the military parade, dancers and floats lauding China's history, achievements and regions paraded, along with portraits of China's previous leaders and Xi himself, which received loud cheers. [Thomas Peter/Reuters]

People take part in a march in the Causeway Bay shopping district in Hong Kong on October 1, 2019, as the city observes the National Day holiday to mark the 70th anniversary of communist China''s found — People take part in a march in the Causeway Bay shopping district in Hong Kong as the city observes the National Day holiday [Mohd Rasfan/AFP]

A man holds a placard as a group of Hong Kong residents waving U.K. flags demonstrate requesting right to British residency, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019, outside the British embassy in Hong Kong while the c — A man holds a placard as a group of Hong Kong residents waving UK flags demonstrate, demanding the right to British residency, outside the British embassy in Hong Kong while the celebration of the People's Republic's 70th anniversary is taking place in Beijing. [Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP Photo]