PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA - CELEBRATIONS OF SIXTY YEARS 1949 - 2009
It was a great honour to represent you all in Beijing on 1 October for the sixty years celebrations of the establishment of the People’ Republic of China.  It started with a welcoming banquet by Madame Li Xiaolin, followed by a banquet of 4500 in the Great Hall of the People on 30 September that provided the warm up to the main events. On the 1st of October Beijing I woke to the sounds of the military vehicle parade forming up and that morning invited guests (perhaps 25,000) watched a reported 100,000 participants parade.

Firstly came representatives of the various military units marching on foot in impeccable unison, followed by 30 different squadrons usually of 18 vehicles each, from tanks, to missiles, to armored cars, driven in the same precision as the marchers. Overhead flew groups (flocks?) of varying types of Chinese made war planes from huge airlifters to helicopters. These were followed by 50 floats (or was it 60 for many things were of this number during the celebrations), representing areas of industry, agriculture, education, medicine and other areas of progress plus floats representing each province and region including Taiwan.

Then, after going back to our hotel for a late lunch, then an early evening meal less than three hours later, we witnessed the fireworks gala and dancing displays. I experienced sensory overloads as staggering fireworks displays rebounded on three sides, sky rockets roaring out of the 60 artificial pillars surrounding Tain’anmen Square, the shock waves of some of the explosions and the non stop music and dancing.

One highlight was meeting our Wanganui Branch President, Dave Feickert, who had received (along with 99 other foreigners) a Friendship Award for his mine safety work in China. We were sitting about five metres apart watching the parade and were able to catch up and also during the gala evening was well. We all in the Society can be very proud of Dave’s award for his work in safety in the coal mining industry and Wanganui (or is it Whanganui now), should be very proud to have Dave as their President. During the events, all around the Youxie invited guests were these honoured foreigners proudly wearing their awards.

Another highlight was being hosted by some of our friends from Youxie, Boming, Linda and Karen, on a visit to the Beijing Exhibition Hall the next day, and to find a key display was of two Kiwis receiving Honorary Ambassador Awards some years ago, namely our very own Past President and Life Member, Professor Bill Willmott and our good friend Hiwi Tauroa of the NZ China Maori Friendship Association. That was a big surprise. And what a showcase of the developments in all areas of industry, commerce, agriculture, health and the countryside, was the exhibition. And hints of more to come in hydroponics, to nuclear power stations, to advances in crops and lifestyle of the everyday villager.

BRANCH CELEBRATIONS AND BANQUETS
I have heard of many successful events held by Branches throughout the country commemorating the 60 year anniversary – a great time for us all to share in the celebrations.

Kind regards, & I look forward to seeing the National Executive in Wellington this coming weekend.
           Eric Livingstone,  National President