AP PHOTOS: Beijing, Hong Kong mark Communist Party centenary
BEIJING (AP) - Cannons roared, bands played and fighter jets soared overhead as thousands of carefully selected participants gathered in Beijing´s iconic Tiananmen Square Thursday for a ceremony marking the centenary of the ruling Communist Party.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong held its own annual commemorations of its 1997 handover from British to Chinese rule, given added significance this year by the party centenary and the arrests of political activists and journalists following Beijing's imposition of a sweeping national security law on the city last year.
Chinese President and party leader Xi Jinping delivered a lengthy address to the Beijing crowd from atop Tiananmen Gate, where Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People´s Republic in 1949, praising the party´s successes and warning of dire consequences for any foreign force that sought to "bully, oppress or enslave" the country.
Dressed in a grey, high-buttoned suit of the type worn by Mao, Xi didn´t identify whom he was referring to, but the party centenary comes amid rising tensions with the U.S., Britain, the European Union and China's Asian neighbors with whom it has territorial disputes.
Xi also called for further development of China´s military, the world´s largest, and reiterated Beijing´s determination to bring self-governed Taiwan under its control, receiving extended applause from the soldiers, officials, military musicians and others seated on the vast square.
Celebrations in Hong Kong were more muted, although city officials ensured that Chinese national flags were on display and the logo of the centenary celebration was plastered on buses and trams.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, waves above a large portrait of the late leader Mao Zedong during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. Artillery roared, bands played and fighter jets soared overhead as thousands gathered in Beijing's iconic Tiananmen Square for a ceremony marking the centenary of the ruling Communist Party. Meanwhile, Hong Kong held its own annual commemorations of the 1997 handover from British to Chinese rule, given added significance by the party centenary and the arrests of political activists and journalists under a sweeping national security law imposed last year. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
While the territory´s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, attended the festivities in Beijing, her deputy, Chief Secretary John Lee, said the national security law stipulates that human rights be respected and allows residents to enjoy freedom of the press and free assembly - despite a ban on large-scale protests, the arrest of political critics and the closure of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily after journalists and executives were detained and funds frozen.
On Thursday morning, a group of four activists marched through city streets calling for the release of people imprisoned for involvement in opposition politics.
Police sealed off Victoria Park - until recently the site of annual pro-democracy rallies marking the 1997 handover - and put up flags warning people that they could be prosecuted if they enter or remain in the enclosed area.
A military band rehearses for a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
In this photo provided by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President and party leader Xi Jinping delivers a speech at a ceremony marking the centenary of the ruling Communist Party in Beijing, China, Thursday, July 1, 2021. (Li Xueren/Xinhua via AP)
A screen shows Chinese President Xi Jinping speak during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Square in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
People wave Chinese flags beneath a large portrait of the late leader Mao Zedong during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
People wait to cross an intersection near a large video screen showing Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking during an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of China's Communist Party at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Women wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus chat each other as a nearby video screen shows Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking during an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of China's Communist Party at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Attendees wave Chinese flags during a ceremony at Tiananmen Square to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Helicopters fly over Chinese flags at Tiananmen Square in the formation of "100" during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A flag raising ceremony is held at the Golden Bauhinia Square for the celebration of 24th anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China, in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Guard of honour march to the flag raising ceremony at the Golden Bauhinia Square for the celebration of 24th anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China, in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Police officers stand guard near Victoria Park, a past location for the annual protest rally marking the anniversary of the Hong Kong handover to China from Britain in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Hong Kong's Victoria Park where the annual protest rally was held for the anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China, is closed, in Hong Kong, Thursday, July 1, 2021.(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
A protester holding a U.K. flag is arrested by police officers during the 24th anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China at a street in Hong Kong Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo)
People walk under Chinese national flags set up at a footbridge to mark the 24th anniversary of Hong Kong handover to China at a school in Hong Kong Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
A woman on her electric-powered scooter films a large video screen outside a shopping mall showing Chinese President Xi Jinping speaking during an event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of China's Communist Party at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, Thursday, July 1, 2021.(AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, drinks from an anniversary mug as he looks over towards Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A swallow flies near the portrait of late Chinese leader Mao Zedong during a ceremony to mark the 100th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Chinese Communist Party at Tiananmen Gate in Beijing Thursday, July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
FILE - In this July 1, 2019, file photo, ten of thousands of protesters flood the streets as they take part in an annual rally in Hong Kong. A national security law enacted in 2020 and COVID-19 restrictions have stifled major protests in Hong Kong including an annual march on July 1. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
Vehicles and trams move on a street, which was a past location for the annual protest rally marking the anniversary of the Hong Kong handover to China from Britain in Hong Kong Thursday, July 1, 2021. A national security law enacted in 2020 and COVID-19 restrictions have stifled major protests in Hong Kong including an annual march on July 1. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
