October 2, 2009
Like many Chinese newspapers today, the Yangtse Evening Post devoted a huge chunk of the first section to articles poring over yesterday’s National Day festivities, from the morning’s parade to the gala in Tiananmen Square last night.
On the front page is a photo of the conclusion to the military portion of the parade, with jets streaming colored smoke as missiles roll down Chang’an Avenue out of the square (compare to the newspaper’s concept drawing of the parade from the 30th).
Inside, one of the highlights is an article revealing some of the secrets behind the parade, “The details you didn’t see in the live broadcast.” The feature opens with a quote from a Taiwan-based news agency commenting on the significance of President Hu Jintao’s outfit.
Unlike the other national leaders on the rostrum, Hu wore a dark Zhongshan suit (named after Sun Yat-sen but known outside of China as Mao suit) instead of a western-style suit and tie. Hu’s predecessors had often worn olive-green Zhongshan suits when they carried out duties as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, leading Taiwan’s NOWnews (今日新闻) to suggest that Hu’s attire signifies a new direction within the context of continuous tradition.
A NOWnews commentary piece not quoted by the Yangtse Evening Post said that Hu’s Zhongshan suit served as a symbol of the PRC’s claim that it, rather than the government of Taiwan, is the legitimate successor to Sun Yat-sen’s republican government.
- Yangtse Evening Post (Chinese): Things you missed in the live broadcast
- NOWnews (Chinese): Zhongshan suit vs. Hu Jintao, No legitimacy without Sun Yat-sen