China's Xi pays tribute to national heroes at Tian'anmen Square

BEIJING - President Xi Jinping and other senior leaders Saturday paid tribute and laid floral baskets to the Monument to the People's Heroes at Tian'anmen Square.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, joined representatives of all walks of life to mark the country's fourth Martyrs' Day, on the eve of National Day.

Other members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, also attended.

A military band played trumpets to commemorate the martyrs before the ceremony started.

At 10 a.m., participants sang the national anthem, and then bowed their heads in silent tribute to those who devoted their lives to the liberation of the Chinese people, the establishment and development of People's Republic of China, which was founded in 1949.

Following a patriotic song sung by children, 18 honor guards laid nine sets of flowers in front of the monument.

Baskets were presented in the names of the CPC Central Committee, China's top legislature, the State Council, the top political advisory body, the Central Military Commission, All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, non-communist party and non-party individuals, mass organizations, veterans, senior cadres and the families of martyrs, as well as China's Young Pioneers organization.

President Xi straightened red ribbons on the baskets and led a group of senior officials in a walk around the monument to pay tribute.

Children and other attendees followed them and laid bouquets of flowers at the foot of the monument.

The ceremony was presided over by Cai Qi, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC.

It is estimated that China has about 20 million martyrs.

China's top legislature approved Sept. 30 as Martyrs' Day in 2014 to commemorate those who lost their lives for national independence and prosperity.