Over 140 role models watch flag-raising ceremony to celebrate National Day in Beijing

More than 140 role models for ethnic unity and progress, who just received their awards last week, gathered at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Tuesday morning to witness a grand flag-raising ceremony and celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, along with thousands of spectators from all over the country.

Many Chinese have developed the custom to watch the national flag raising ceremony at the Tian'anmen Square on Oct 1 to celebrate the National Day.

While watching the national flag going up, they sang the Chinese national anthem in chorus, wishing prosperity for the country prosperity, and unity and progress for all ethnic groups.

One of the role models is Tsering Lhamo, headmaster of the Nagqu Special Education School in the city of Nagqu, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

She brought a special gift from the more than 100 disabled students in her school to the site.

"The children told me to bring a hada scarf as a gift from them for the 75th birthday of our country. We all wish the country prosperity, the people good luck and health. Tashi Delek!" she said.

"I feel very honored to be able to attend this flag raising ceremony with compatriots from all the 56 ethnic groups. We will focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and do a good job in carrying forward our ethnic culture and developing our Hezhe villages," said Wang Hao, a role model from the Hezhe Ethnic Group and Party committee secretary of Hezhe Town in Raohe County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

"This is a formal attire that we Mongolians wear when attending grand festival events. It's my first time to watch the flag-raising ceremony in person. I feel very proud. We will give full play to the role of our museum as an education base for ethnic solidarity and tell well the story of the Chinese nation as one community, the story of exchange, communication and integration among the united and diverse ethnic groups, and the story of ethnic solidarity and progress," said Wu Chunlei, a Mongolian role model and president of Eastern Mongolia Museum in Harqin Left Wing Mongolian Autonomous County, northeast China's Liaoning Province.

Over 140 role models watch flag-raising ceremony to celebrate National Day in Beijing

Chinese President Xi Jinping awarded Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic the Friendship Medal of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on Monday.

As solemn music played and the golden doors slowly opened, Xi and Vucic entered the hall together, followed by Xi's wife Peng Liyuan and Vucic's wife Tamara Vucic.

Applauding guests rose to their feet, and paid respect to the two heads of state.

A Guard of Honor escorted the Friendship Medal into the hall, and amid solemn music, Xi formally presented the medal to Vucic.

Xi highlighted Vucic's long-standing commitment to advancing China-Serbia friendship and underscored the significance of the honor.

"President Vucic has long stayed committed to China-Serbia friendship, and he has always given China the firmest and clearest support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns. He gains the respect from the Chinese people. This medal is not only a high recognition of President Vucic's contributions to bilateral friendship, but also carries the earnest expectations of both peoples for building a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era," Xi said.

The Friendship Medal is China's highest state honor for foreigners, reserved for those who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive, promoting exchange and cooperation between China and the world, and safeguarding world peace.

At the invitation of Xi, Vucic is on a state visit to China from Sunday to Thursday, with this marking his first state visit to China and his ninth trip to the country overall.

Xi awards Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic China's friendship medal