A soldier wearing a mask takes part in a military parade marking the National Day in Nicosia, Cyprus, on Oct. 1, 2020. Cyprus marked on Thursday its National Day with a military parade in front of empty stands due to the coronavirus security measures. (Xinhua)
NICOSIA, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cyprus marked on Thursday its National Day with a military parade in front of empty stands due to the coronavirus security measures.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades was in Brussels for the European Union summit, the agenda of which includes the tensions between Cyprus and Turkey, as well as the development of EU-Turkish relations.
In a National Day address broadcast on TV, the president said that he had no option but to be in Brussels on the day when Cyprus celebrated its independence from British rule, "to defend what was handed over to the Cypriot people through blood and sacrifices."
"The 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Cyprus finds our country facing new challenges due to the ongoing illegal Turkish actions, either by invading the economic zone of Cyprus or due to the threats of the illegal settlement of Famagusta," Anastasiades said.
Also on Thursday, Cyprus' largest English and Greek newspapers, Cyprus Mail and Phileleftheros, published the Chinese National Day message by Wang Sheng, Charge d'Affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of China in Cyprus.
The Chinese diplomat said in the message that Oct. 1 is the same birthday shared by China and Cyprus. Seventy-one years ago, the People's Republic of China was founded. Sixty years ago, the Republic of Cyprus won independence.
Wang said that he looked forward to next year's celebrations marking 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries, when special commemorative events are scheduled "to further enrich our traditional friendship and elevate our bilateral ties to a new high."
"China will continue to support Cyprus' efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and contribute to a just, reasonable and lasting settlement of the Cyprus problem based on relevant UN resolutions," Wang said.
