Chinese leaders marked the 60th anniversary of Communist Party rule on Thursday with a precision display of military bravado and a confident prediction by President Hu Jintao that “infinitely bright prospects” lie ahead for the world’s most populous nation.
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The dense blanket of smog that had covered China’s capital for days disappeared Thursday morning, leaving crystal skies and perfect autumn temperatures for the columns of armor and thousands of goose-steeping troops that paraded past Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
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“Today, a socialist China geared to modernization, the world and the future has stood rock-firm in the east of the world,” Mr. Hu said in a brief speech. The Chinese people “cannot be prouder of the development and progress of our great motherland.”
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They said there would be blue skies, and blue skies there were, as President Hu Jintao stood erect in his limousine Thursday morning to review the troops and to view the country’s high-tech missiles and tanks at the opening of ceremonies marking China’s 60th anniversary as a republic.
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After nearly a week of fog and drizzle, it took China’s weather wizards their largest effort yet to deliver the bright blue skies to complement the picture-perfect parade that has been planned and practised in top secret for the past several months.
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