Some 100 students of a school in Haikou, South China's Hainan Province form the number "70" and sing "Ode to the Motherland" in celebration of the People's Republic of China's upcoming 70th birthday on October 1 during their school's track meet on Wednesday. Photo: VCG

About 90,000 people took part in the first joint rehearsal for the military parade and mass pageant to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC at Tiananmen Square from the night of September 7 to the early hours of September 8, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

A grand gathering will be held to celebrate the People' Republic of China's 70th National Day on October 1.

The rehearsal contained six segments, including the military parade, a mass parade, a gala and emergency response. During the one-hour military parade rehearsal, the focus was on the march-past drill.

The focus of the mass parade drill is assembly and evacuation, as well as coordination and cohesion with other groups.

The gala rehearsal included various themed shows, giving performers a chance to become familiar with the site and facilities. The fireworks display control system was also tested in the field, Xinhua reported.

The drill focused on bringing together the entire process and core elements of the celebration, and comprehensively tested the organizational and command capabilities of all parties.

The authorities in Beijing said that the night exercise won the understanding and support of the general public, and expressed their heartfelt thanks to them.

A National Day reception will be held at the Great Hall of the People. More than 100,000 ordinary citizens will take part in the mass pageant on October 1 and about 60,000 will attend the evening gala on the same day, while about 30,000 members of the public will be invited to observe the gathering and military parade, according to Xinhua.

Among the guests at the gathering and military parade will be people who have made outstanding contributions to the PRC's founding and development together with their families, as well as about 1,500 role models including outstanding Party members, model civil servants and workers.

Global Times