National Day holiday events in 4 provinces

People in Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Hebei and Sichuan provinces are spending the seven-day National Day in various ways, having a good time on the New China's 75th birthday.

In ancient Zhenze Town in east China's Jiangsu Province, parent-child activities are held in paddy fields for holidaymakers to appreciate a pastoral lifestyle.

"Breathing fresh air in fields with children in autumn and embracing the nature, I feel very pleasant and light-hearted," said a visitor surnamed Shen.

In Taizhou City of Jiangsu, 100 primary school pupils gathered around a large canvas to paint the sceneries of the country and new outlook of their native town on the theme of "growing together with the motherland."

"I am so proud that I can express my love for the motherland with my paintbrush," said Yin Tianci, a pupil from Hailing District of the city.

In Xianyang City of Shaanxi Province in northwest China, people spontaneously sang in chorus during the holiday, holding national flags in their hands.

"This generation of ours catches up with a great era. I wish the motherland prosperity, and our life better and better," said Bai Yinping, a local resident.

In Chengde City of Hebei Province in north China, Mountain Resort, once a summer retreat for the imperial families during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), tourists are enjoying the refreshing autumn breeze.

In Xiong'an New Area of the province, its first youth art festival offers many novel interactive experiences to visitors.

At the Jianmen Pass scenic area in southwest China's Sichuan Province, anyone who is able to recite "Hard Is the Road to Shu," a classic poem by Li Bai (701-761), one of greatest Chinese poets, can get a free admission to the park, worth of some 90 yuan. While Shu is a poetic term for Sichuan, Li Bai's poem of the Shu road comprises of 294 characters in 40 lines, which dedicates a section to specially describe the precipitous Jianmen Pass.

And in Jiajiang County of the province, various cultural activities held on the county's century-old main street attract both residents and tourists.

"I specifically brought my child to experience the traditional quarter. It is special. We not only tasted delicious Sichuan food, but also felt the nostalgic cultural memories," said Jiang Danxue, a tourist.

National Day holiday events in 4 provinces

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) announced Wednesday the launch of a major multi-domain military operation dubbed "Arctic Sentry", as Russia warned of countermeasures over the "militarization" of the Arctic territory Greenland.

The "Arctic Sentry" mission is aimed at strengthening NATO's presence across the Arctic and High North regions, according to the alliance's Allied Command Operations, headquartered in Mons, Belgium.

Colonel Martin O'Donnell, spokesperson for NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said earlier that the operation will feature regular naval exercises, intensified airspace monitoring with Allied fighter jets, and the temporary deployment of small army contingents to Denmark's autonomous territory of Greenland and other Arctic locations.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte revealed on Wednesday that tens of thousands of NATO military personnel are expected to participate in exercises conducted within the "Arctic Sentry" framework.

In Moscow, addressing the State Duma on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia would respond with adequate countermeasures, including military ones, should Greenland be "militarized".

In a separate interview released online on the same day, Lavrov accused NATO of attempting to transform the Arctic into a theater of confrontation.

NATO has repeatedly engaged in provocations in the Arctic, but such actions will diminish quickly once their planners realize the serious consequences, said the Russian foreign minister.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, which he said is vital to American national security. Trump has also proposed deploying a "Golden Dome" missile defense system on the Arctic island, a plan that has alarmed Russian officials.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that the Russian military would "closely monitor and analyze" Washington's intentions regarding Greenland.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said earlier this month that the recent tensions surrounding Greenland stem from the U.S. desire to maintain its hegemony, vowing that Russia would ensure its national security under any circumstances.

NATO launches "Arctic Sentry" mission amid Russian warnings over Greenland militarization