An estimated 250,000 people flocked to Tiananmen Square at dawn yesterday to watch the National Day flag-raising ceremony.
The celebrations, which saw 500,000 people visit Tiananmen Square by nightfall, came as the central government and Communist Party promised to provide political stability while maintaining the pace of reform.
The China Daily pledged that reform would advance even faster on 'the solid groundwork' provided by the central government.
'Our people are self-confident amid rumours outside the country about the expected passage of the leadership to the next generation during the 16th National Congress,' it said.
'We have proceeded so far down the road of reform and opening up that nobody can reverse the trend. Everybody believes that.'
An editorial in the People's Daily lavished praise on the leaders around President Jiang Zemin who had 'led the Chinese people to achievements in building a modern China, safeguarding the nation's unity, maintaining world peace and promoting common development worldwide'.
