Guangzhou colored red for birthday festivities

Red flags, lanterns, lights and flowers adorn Guangzhou, the capital of southern China's Guangdong province, ahead of National Day on Tuesday, and many residents are wearing red clothes.

It is the dominant color of decorations in the city for celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

"Guangzhou is now at its most beautiful moment as National Day approaches," said Huang Chuxin, a resident of the city's Tianhe district.

"The city is now immersed in a very happy festive atmosphere, with Chinese red becoming the main color."

Huang visits Tianhe Park near her home every morning to exercise. She wore a red T-shirt on Sunday morning.

"It is worth beautifying the city for the great festival of celebrations when our country's 70th birthday is coming," she said.

Wang Hongwei, director of Guangzhou's housing and urban-rural development bureau, said more than 600,000 colored lights had been installed on major buildings and infrastructure, including the city's iconic Canton Tower, bridges along the Pearl River and in major scenic spots, squares, parks and public venues this month to help beautify the city.

"All the lights are required to be turned on at night, starting last Friday, to help celebrate the coming National Day," Wang said.

The city's 35 major scenic spots and parks have also been decorated with flowers to further beautify Guangzhou, dubbed "the city of flowers", according to a statement released by its forestry and landscaping bureau.

A grand flower and gardening show and a flower arrangement exhibition, with the theme of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, opened in the city's Haixinsha Park on Saturday, the statement said. The shows, free to visitors, will run through Oct 12.

Guangzhou residents are participating in a series of celebrations being organized by government departments and organizations to celebrate National Day.

In addition to a grand celebration gathering and a National Day reception held on Sunday, thousands of residents from across the city waved national flags while singing Ode to the Motherland, My Motherland and I and other patriotic songs with singers from other cities, including Hong Kong and Macao, during a concert at Canton Tower, on the south bank of the Pearl River, held by Guangzhou's city government on Saturday night.

Guangdong's provincial government organized a similar event in Guangzhou's Sun Yatsen Memorial Hall on Friday night.

More than 2,000 local residents are expected to join hands with local Party and government officials at a grand ceremony at Guangzhou's Haizhu Square on Tuesday morning to sing the national anthem and other patriotic songs and watch the raising of the national flag.