China's annual National Day parade took special significance today, the 50th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC). While the streets were swept clear of any potential undesirables and Beijing's residents were told to stay home and watch the proceedings on television, over half a million specially selected people participated in a huge, choreographed celebration of Communist rule. Highlights included a five-mile military parade punctuated with fly-overs by fighter jets and over 90 floats depicting the heroism and progress of the Chinese people. In addition to their sheer size and pomp, the celebrations were notable for a number of aspects. Some saw the massive military display as a warning to Taiwan that China may resort to force to reclaim what it sees as a renegade province. Also of interest was the positioning of President Jiang Zemin, who delivered his speech from the balcony of the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the same spot where Mao Zedong declared 50 years before that "the Chinese people have stood up." Jiang was the only living leader to have a float dedicated to him and is clearly aiming to place himself in the same pantheon as Mao and Deng Xiaoping. His efforts to do so, and the recent state-sponsored surge in Chinese nationalism, lead some to speculate that Jiang may attempt to base his claim to posterity on the reunification of Taiwan and China.