President Hu Jintao saluted the Chinese armed forces while he reviewed Thursday morning lineups of three services of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) before a military parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Hu greeted the PLA officers and soldiers, saying "Greetings, comrades!" "Comrades, you are working hard!" as he was responded with "Greetings, leader!" "We serve the people!".

At the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China(PRC) on Oct. 1, 1949, Zhu De, then PLA's Commander-in-Chief, sent his regards to the soldiers, saying "Comrades, wish you good health!" "Long live the People's Republic of China!" Zhu was answered back "Comrade Commander-in-Chief, wish you good heath!" and "Long live the motherland!"

At the 1955 National Day military parade, when then Minister of National Defense Peng Dehuai reviewed the troops, he saluted the soldiers and officers, saying "Long live the People's Republic of China!" "Long live the Communist Party of China!" and "Long live Chairman Mao!".

The National Day military parade was resumed by Deng Xiaoping, then Central Military Commission chairman, in 1984 since it was suspended in 1959. The parade slogans were changed to "Greetings, comrades!" and "Comrades, you are working hard!" Deng was responded with "Greetings, leader!" and "We serve the people!" by officers and soldiers.

Former President Jiang Zemin, also then general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, continued the tradition of Deng in the parade celebrating the country's 50th birthday in 1999.

(Xinhua News Agency October 1, 2009)