China Thursday sent to the world a clear signal that it will keep to the socialist road as floats carrying four huge portraits of the Communist Party of China (CPC) leaders from different generations marched past Beijing's Tian'anmen Square in the grand National Day parade.

The portraits of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, mounted on flower-bedecked floats and under the escort of thousands of paraders, spearheaded four formations showcasing New China's development over the past 60 years.

Loudspeakers relayed a different soundtrack for each of the four leaders, amid applause and cheering from the audience as each portrait appeared.

"I am very excited at the four portraits," said Wang Weiguo, 49, a resident standing in the reviewing stand.

"In four historical periods, the four CPC leaders and their comrades have led the people onto the course of development so that we can live such a good life," he said.

Along with the portraits, political slogans representative of the leaders' eras appeared in the parade: "Long Live Mao Zedong Thought!" "The Chinese people have stood up!" "Uphold the Deng Xiaoping Theory, advance the reform and opening-up and the cause of socialist modernization!" "Stick to the important thought of 'Three Represents,' build a moderately prosperous society in all aspects!" and "Implement the Scientific Outlook on Development, unswervingly follow the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics!"

Ten years ago, portraits of Mao, Deng and Jiang were displayed in the civilian parade celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of New China.

"The appearance of the portraits of the four CPC leaders shows that the Party's legacy has been handed down from one generation to another since the founding of the CPC," said Prof. Cai Xia with Party School of the Central Committee of CPC. "The spirit of hard working has also been passed on.

"The destiny of the Party is closely related with the destiny of the country," Cai said.

In his speech on Thursday which was televised nationwide and throughout the world, President Hu Jintao said the development and progress of New China over the past 60 years had fully proved that only socialism can save China and only reform and opening up can ensure the development of China, socialism and Marxism.

He vowed to "unswervingly" stick to the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the reform and opening-up policy, push forward scientific development and promote social harmony for a "new chapter" of the people's happy life.

Under the first generation of collective leadership, with Mao at the core, the People's Republic of China was founded and the "three big mountains" of imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat-capitalism that had oppressed the Chinese people for years were toppled. New China conducted nuclear tests, launched man-made satellites and built big oil fields.

The second collective leadership of the CPC central committee, with Deng as the core, further applied Marxism to Chinese people's practice. Deng, the "chief architect" of China's reform and opening-up in the late 1970s, lifted millions of Chinese people out of poverty along with his comrades.

The third generation of collective leadership, with Jiang at the core, persisted in taking the road of socialism in the 1990s, when a series of radical changes swept the world. Jiang also raised the important thought of the "Three Represents", namely the CPC has always represented the most advanced productivity and culture in China, as well as the most fundamental of interests of the majority of the Chinese people.

President Hu Jintao and his colleagues brought forward the Scientific Outlook on Development, a guiding principle for China's economic and social development.

Today's China is the world's third largest economy and also the third country to put a man into space with its own rocket. It has hosted an "exceptional" Olympic Games. The average life expectancy of the Chinese people has reported a drastic increase from 35 to 73 years over the past six decades.

"CPC leaders in different generations, all responding to the requests of their own era, have led the people to build our nation," said Ji Changrong, 76, an audience member who was in the National Day parade in 1955. "History has proved that the CPC is the best political party."

In spite of the remarkable achievements they have made, China and the CPC are faced with severe challenges, such as the widening gap between the haves and have-nots, fighting corruption, energy saving and emission reduction, and the improvement of people's livelihoods.

"In the economy, the CPC should adhere to the structural adjustment to lay a solid foundation for the country's sustained, rapid and sound economic development," said Cai Xia. "The CPC also needs to speed up the construction of a preliminary but extensive social security system, which is expected to ensure that everyone would enjoy the country's development achievements.

"In addition, the Party needs to press ahead the building of socialist political civilization and institutional construction," she added. "It will provide an institutional guarantee for China's economic development and the harmonious development of society."