The ceremony included laying nine huge flower baskets in front of the Monument to the People’s Heroes in Tian’anmen Square, in downtown Beijing.

Senior officials from the Government and the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as thousands of representatives from all sectors of society, accompanied the president in the ceremony.

Martyrs’ Day was established on September 30, 2014, and since then every September 30, Chinese highest authorities and the people honor the memory of their heroes.

According to estimates, around 20 million Chinese were killed in different historical events, but only the names of 1.96 million of them are officially recorded.

The tribute precedes the National Day celebration, on October 1.

This October 1 marks the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and this is a holiday because on October 1, 1949, the people, led by the CPC, declared victory in the War of Liberation during a ceremony at Tian’anmen Square.

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