Thomas Lindesay at the Great Wall

Thomas Lindesay still remembers vividly the day of October 1 when he participated in a mass pageant as part of the grand celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

"It was really impressive and I felt that everyone else was just as excited as I was on the way from the Beijing Railway Station to the Tian'anmen Square," he said.

He expressed his excitement to have participated the celebrations as a member of the formation underscoring a community with a shared future for humanity and witnessed the historic moment for China.

Thomas is a sophomore at the School of International Studies, Peking University. In 1987, his father William Lindesay came to China and traveled from the Jiayu Pass to the Shanhai Pass of the Great Wall. After that, he decided to live in China and actively help protect and research the Great Wall.

The celebrations, as Thomas said, were of great significance, both for himself and his entire family. While he was participating in the mass pageant, his father was invited to watch the event on the viewing stand. "I will never forget it," said Thomas.

The spectacular activities for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC enabled the British student to better understand China.

He recalled that everyone in the pageant was spirited and cheerful and couldn't help but shout and jump in joy as they passed the Tian'anmen Square, while those on the viewing stand would wave hands towards them to express their enthusiasm.

"Such passion conveys the love of ordinary Chinese people towards their motherland and makes me see how the nation is united as one," said Thomas, adding that it is the unity and hard work of the Chinese people that has led to the huge achievements in China.

Thomas grew up in China. He thinks that the New China has made great achievements and witnessed dramatic changes in its economic and social development in the past 70 years.

"Such dramatic changes and fast and sustained development in a long time are mainly due to the country's policy of reform and opening-up," he pointed out.

Thomas remembers that he could basically find taxes under the Xiali brand on the streets of Beijing when he was a child. Now, the transportation infrastructure here has improved and cars under various brands are running on the road.

Furthermore, Thomas believes that he can barely live without such services as mobile payment, food and express delivery, which have developed rapidly in China.

Thomas has visited the Jiankou section of the Great Wall hundreds of times, where he would pass by an overpass construction site.

"Every time I went there, I would see some progress in the construction, which somehow mirrors the speed of China's development," said Thomas, pointing out that China has paid more attention to high-quality development in recent years, especially ecological progress.

When he was 4 years old, he climbed the Great Wall for the first time and picked up trash there as his father did as a volunteer.

"The local government has taken many measures to protect the ecological environment of the Great Wall, such as arranging cleaners there, which could be very helpful," said Thomas.

The celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC are not only a review of the 70 years' development in the past, but also a demonstration of the country's confidence and determination for the future progress, Thomas pointed out.

"I am fortunate to be a part of it and look forward to witnessing a better future of China," he added.