PLA units, China Coast Guard hold flag-raising ceremonies to mark National Day

Military officers and soldiers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the China Coast Guard on Wednesday held their respective flag-raising ceremonies to celebrate the 76th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

In the morning, Qi Jiguang training ship and Yimengshan landing ship of the 83rd Naval Fleet of the PLA Navy held a solemn flag-raising ceremony at the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's Stonecutters Island naval base to mark the occasion.

"We raised the same national flag to wishing our motherland well together. We celebrate this holiday together with Hong Kong residents. This brings our hearts closer together more than any words could," said Zhu Weiguo, a sailor of the 83rd Naval Fleet.

Across military barracks nationwide, similar ceremonies were also held to celebrate China's birthday.

"This flag-raising ceremony is not only a heartfelt declaration of love for our great motherland, but also a renewed awakening of the mission and responsibility of our soldiers. We will always uphold loyalty as our defining feature, stick to our posts, defend our homeland, and safeguard peace and tranquility of our motherland with concrete actions," said Shi Baoqiang, a member of a brigade of the 83rd Group Army.

Meanwhile, the five-star red flag was also raised on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, on the Pamir Plateau at 3,290 meters above sea level, and at training sites on another snow-capped plateau at an altitude of over 4,300 meters.

China Coast Guard vessels conducting patrol missions on the high seas also held flag-raising ceremonies.

"This is my first time raising the national flag on the high seas of the North Pacific. I feel exceptionally proud. Before us is the national flag, and behind us is our motherland. As a vital force in international high seas governance, we will contribute to maintaining order in high-sea fisheries through every standardized law enforcement action, demonstrating the responsibility and commitment of the Chinese Coast Guard to the world," said Liu Fuze, a sailor on Haimen Ship of the No. 1 Bureau of China Coast Guard.

PLA units, China Coast Guard hold flag-raising ceremonies to mark National Day

China's commodity price index stood at 129.9 points in March, up 4 percent month on month and 14.5 percent year on year, according to data released by the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) on Sunday.

Among the 50 major commodities under key monitoring by the CFLP, 38 recorded a month-on-month price increase in March.

Specifically, diesel, methanol and ethylene glycol led the gains, rising 30.5 percent, 30.4 percent and 29.3 percent, respectively, from the previous month.

Affected by imported factors such as tensions in the Middle East and a sharp rise in international crude oil prices, China's energy and chemical price indices rose significantly, up 16.5 percent and 21.8 percent month on month, respectively.

Driven by rising international fertilizer prices and growing demand for biofuels, China's agricultural product price index increased by 2.8 percent month on month.

Analysts noted that the sharp rise in the commodity price index in March comes from factors such as the recovery of the domestic commodity market, the good outcomes of policies, and the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Given the increasingly volatile international commodity prices and the rising uncertainties in importing energy, chemicals and other commodities, it is necessary to diversify the sources of raw materials, expand the use of alternative resources, and enhance the ability to resist and respond to risky factors that may cause fluctuation in markets, said the analysts.

China's commodity price index up 4 pct in March