The 65th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China was upstaged by pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
The festive ceremony, which began in Hong Kong, was broadcast on national television.
The student-led demonstration demanding election reforms is in a standoff with Hong Kong's leaders.
Protesters say they'll step up their actions and occupy government buildings if Leung Chun-ying, the region's executive, doesn't step down by Thursday.
Chan Kin-man, co-founder of the Occupy Central movement, said unless the government heeds their demands, the protests would spread like "blossoming flowers," the BBC reported.
Protesters are opposed to China's approval process for potential candidates in the upcoming elections, scheduled for 2017.
Chinese President Xi Jinping promised Communist Party leaders his government would "steadfastly safeguard the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau," according to the BBC.
Did you know?
God is everywhere—even in the news. That’s why we view every news story through the lens of faith. We are committed to delivering quality independent Christian journalism you can trust. But it takes a lot of hard work, time, and money to do what we do. Help us continue to be a voice for truth in the media by supporting CBN News for as little as $1.
Support CBN News
