China has celebrated 60 years of Communism (on October 1) with a massive parade of tanks, soldiers and missile launchers in Beijing.

Thousands of troops cleared central Beijing of all passers-by for the anniversary parade for the birth of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949.

Tiananmen Square was turned into a high-tech stage to display the ruling Communist Party's achievements before invited guests.

Soldiers marked the start of celebrations in the morning by firing cannons and raising the red national flag.

They were watched by President Hu Jintao, standing in a slate grey traditional Mao suit on the Gate of Heavenly Peace over the square.

President Hu inspected rows of troops, riding past them in a black limousine and saying repeatedly, 'Hello comrades, hard-working comrades'.

'From here it was that Chairman Mao solemnly announced the founding of the People's Republic of China, and from then the Chinese people stood up,' Mr Hu told assembled guests.

'Today a socialist China embracing modernisation, embracing the world and embracing the future stands lofty and firm.'

The parade of 8,000 soldiers, tanks and missiles, 60 elaborate floats, and 100,000 well-drilled civilians was watched by hundreds of millions on television across the country.