China's 60th anniversary stirs pride, also unease

The Associated Press (hosted on Google) ^ | October 1, 2009 | Charles Hutzler

[myknowledge]

BEIJING — China celebrated its rise to a world power over 60 years of Communist rule Thursday, staging its biggest-ever parade of military hardware with over a hundred thousand marching masses in a display that stirred patriotism — and some unease.

Police blocked off a wide area around central Beijing's Tiananmen Square for the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic. City residents were told to stay away and watch the events on television.

President Hu Jintao, dressed in a gray Mao tunic instead of the business suit he usually wears, reviewed the thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks and other weaponry, shouting "Hello, comrades" while riding in an open-top, domestically made Red Flag limousine.

During the two-hour-plus festivities, dozens of Chinese-made fighter jets were to stage a fly-over.

After the armaments, 60 floats celebrating last year's Beijing Olympics, China's manned space program and other symbols of progress rolled by as tens of thousands of students flipped colored cards in unison to make pictures.

The events were meant to underscore what the leadership calls the "revival of the great Chinese nation."

[myknowledge]

Celebrating 60 years of Chinese Maoism in style. How extravagantly exciting for the Chicoms.

[glock rocks]

Makes me want to go buy some melamine laced dog food. Woo, lets all go to Wal-Mart and celebrate.

[ReneeLynn]

And here is our president, apologizing, cutting back nukes and not putting up missile shields while the Chinese celebrate their wares. Hello, comrade Obama!

[BBell]

"I wonder what Chinese leaders are thinking? For more than 15 years they have been denouncing those who call China's rise a threat. Now they put on this display of military hardware, with goose-stepping soldiers to match. Aren't they confirming the China Threat?" said Minxin Pei, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in California."

I think I know what they are thinking.

Obama = wuss

[JillValentine]

JINGOISM! ARROGANCE! That’s EVIL! They need to eat some humble pie...

— Wait, I’m getting a memo from the Department of Political Correctness —

Communist and/or Turd World countries are allowed to be as jingoistic, militant, and bigoted as they want. Patriotism is only a dirty word when America or Israel does it.

[444Flyer]

A solitary man stands in front of a Chinese tank after protests by students at Tiananmen square, June 4, 1989. Tank Man's whereabouts and identity are still not known...

[Thunder90]

The Russians pull this stunt yearly during their WWII celebrations, and they march in November again as well.

[VeniVidiVici]

Too funny! The Chinese show their true colors for ONE DAY and the Associated Press is surprised.

[Retired Greyhound]

Friedman is saddened that we don’t have their system here.

[unkus]

And here is our president, apologizing, cutting back nukes and not putting up missile shields while the Chinese celebrate their wares. Hello, comrade Obama!
_________________________

Where are the “life boats” for those who betray us? Where are their sanctuaries?

They must think themselves immortal and safe from any danger.

They must have no souls.

[snowsislander]

President Hu Jintao, dressed in a gray Mao tunic instead of the business suit he usually wears, reviewed the thousands of troops and hundreds of tanks and other weaponry, shouting "Hello, comrades" while riding in an open-top, domestically made Red Flag limousine.

The butchers of Tienanmen are the proud heirs of the murderous Mao.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

Only twice as old as Carter’s Mullahcracy.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

“tanks and other weaponry”

Any country that parades its weapons as “national cerebration” is not a “responsible country”, Mrs Chicommlinton.

[myknowledge]

That’s why totalitarian nations like these are a threat to freedom, which is never free.

[myknowledge]

Any country that parades its weapons as “national celebration” is not a “responsible country”

What's wrong with parading them around on national holidays? India does it on Republic Day and it is not a totalitarian country.

[hyperconservative]

What do you suppose the caste-system is, precisely?
And isn’t India a socialist country?

[Clemenza]

1. Caste system is against the law, and India has affirmative action for Dalits for university admissions, government jobs, etc. Still persists by custom in rural areas, but is waning.

2. India was socialist, but has been moving toward capitalism since the early 90s. More folks have joined the middle class in the past 10 years than in the previous 50.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

"City residents were told to stay away and watch the events on television."

I read that basically the Chinese government and communist party is considered so out of touch with the majority of the public these days, this parade is already labeled a total joke.

Only handpicked communist party members and young children who know no better are allowed to participate. No cheering crowds lining the route. Citizens are too be kept away via six-providences of security perimeters. The government has actually booked all the hotel rooms overlooking the route to prevent anyone from actually seeing the parade up close. Nearby residents have been ordered not to even look out their windows or invite guests in town.

The whole thing is for viewing via television only to the masses. Your typical communist staged spectacle parading large weapon systems and thousands of soliders marching between them.

Its another milli-vanilli communist event. Like the lip syncing girl at their olympic games.

[hyperconservative]

Thanks for info.
Is there a constitution for India available online?

[Zhang Fei]

This is called a Sun Yat-sen suit on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Check out this picture of Moose Dung (right front) and Cash My Check (center front) both wearing the suit: