1949 Infantry pass Tiananmen Square in formation (Photo/Wu Qun)

The founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China was held in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on October 1, 1949. During the ceremony, Mao Zedong, the then Chinese Chairman, officially announced that the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China had been founded. Soon after, a large-scale military review and mass parade took place.

From that point on, China held a military parade in Tiananmen Square every year on October 1, until 1959.

The once annual military parade represented the extraordinary achievements of the People's Liberation Army in unifying the country, defending it against invaders and enabling ordinary people to live in a peaceful environment. It also displayed the strength of China's national defense forces and military combat effectiveness.

Here are some pictures of China's military parades starting from 1949 to 1959 taken by generations of photographers. These precious pictures show how the Chinese army strived to develop against difficulties since the PRC was founded.

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