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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a member of the Chinese honor guard unfurls the Chinese national flag during a flag raising ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China held at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (Chen Zhonghao/Xinhua via AP)

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A participant salutes the Chinese national flag at an event marking mainland China's National Day organized by the Taiwan People Communist Party in Tainan in southern Taiwan on Saturday, Oct 1, 2022. In Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory, a group of activists who call themselves the Taiwan People Communist Party raised the Chinese flag in the southern city of Tainan during the National Day of mainland China and chanted, "Long live the Motherland." (AP photo/I-Hwa Cheng)

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang gives a speech during a dinner reception at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of the National Day holiday in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at left and President Xi Jinping toasts each other during a dinner reception at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of the National Day holiday in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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Chinese President Xi Jinping waves as he walks ahead Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during a dinner reception at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of the National Day holiday in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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People gather to protest against China on human rights on the eve of China's National Day in front of the Bank of China in Taipei, Taiwan Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. A banner, right, reads "National independence of Taiwan." (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a woman holds up a card with the words "Dear Motherland, Hello!" as she attends the flag raising ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China held at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (Ju Huanzong/Xinhua via AP)

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In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a Chinese honor guard march to a flag raising ceremony to mark the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China held at the Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. (Ju Huanzong/Xinhua via AP)

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People gather to protest against China on human rights on the eve of China's National Day in front of the Bank of China in Taipei, Taiwan Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

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Chinese President Xi Jinping adjusts his jacket as he attends a dinner reception at the Great Hall of the People on the eve of the National Day holiday in Beijing, Friday, Sept. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

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In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwanese soldiers go through a drill as Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen visits a camp in Hualien, in eastern Taiwan on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022. Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday that China is conducting "cognitive warfare" by spreading misinformation in addition to its regular incursions into nearby waters and airspace intended at intimidating the self-governing island. (Taiwan Presidential Office via AP)

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People walk past a Chinese flag on a tourist shopping street on the first day of the National Day holiday period in Beijing, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. National Day marks the anniversary of the Oct. 1, 1949, founding of the People's Republic of China by then-leader Mao Zedong following a civil war. The mainland's former ruling Nationalist Party left for Taiwan, now a self-ruled democracy. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

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Crowds walk along a tourist shopping street on the first day of the National Day holiday period in Beijing, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. National Day marks the anniversary of the Oct. 1, 1949, founding of the People's Republic of China by then-leader Mao Zedong following a civil war. The mainland's former ruling Nationalist Party left for Taiwan, now a self-ruled democracy. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

AP PHOTOS: China marks 73rd anniversary in National Day

By Associated Press Beijing

PUBLISHED 10:26 AM ET Oct. 01, 2022

BEIJING (AP) — Spectators watched a masked, 96-member honor guard raise a Chinese flag on Tiananmen Square as the ruling Communist Party marked its 73rd anniversary in power on Saturday under strict anti-virus controls.

The flag-raising at sunrise was one of the few National Day events planned after authorities called on the public to avoid travel during what usually is one of the country’s busiest tourism periods.

National Day marks the anniversary of the Oct. 1, 1949, founding of the People’s Republic of China by then-leader Mao Zedong following a civil war. The former ruling Nationalist Party left for Taiwan, now a self-ruled democracy.

In Hong Kong, Chief Executive John Lee promised to revive the battered economy. He wore a red mask the color of the Chinese flag and was flanked by masked dignitaries at a downtown convention center.

In Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory, members of the pro-mainland Taiwan People's Communist Party raised a Chinese flag in the southern city of Tainan and released red balloons and white doves. About 150 people took part.

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