[4] The parade is presided by the paramount leader in his political duty as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and constitutional mandate as the supreme commander of the PLA and chairman of the Central Military Commission, since 1984.

At 10 a.m. the massed military bands of the People's Liberation Army sound the Welcome March, signifying the official commencement of the ceremony.

As the paramount leader arrives, he is joined by the following on the rostrum on the Tiananmen Gate: In past parades a card stunt display was assembled at the square grounds made up of thousands of young men and women from the capital and from various parts of the country (abolished 2015), while student battalions of the Young Pioneers of China are assembled in the sides of the Massed Bands, led by the Senior Director of Music of the PLA Military Bands Service, made up of around 1,900 male and female bandsmen from the service branches from military bands stationed nationwide.

As the armed linemen of the Beijing Capital Garrison take their places, the paramount leader then descends to the grounds of the Tiananmen Gate via the elevator and rides on an open top Hongqi L5 for the inspection segment, with around 4,000 to 16,000 military personnel of the PLA, PAP and militia formations assembled by battalions, as well as the 9,000 strong personnel of the mobile column with around 400-900 vehicles.

Following the inspection, the paramount leader returns to the Tiananmen Gate to give the national keynote holiday address, at the same time the commander takes his place in the gate as well and the parade formations are now formed in review order as the mobile column now forms up in addition to the flypast.

As the Massed Bands play the Parade March of the PLA, a special parade version of the Military Anthem of the People's Liberation Army, following the fly past of the national and party flags and the flag of the PLA, alongside, in special years, a helicopter formation honoring the number of years of nationhood, the ground column marches first as the General Secretary and other party, state and military leaders take the salute of each of the contingents marching past the saluting stand.

[citation needed] A mobile column then follows which is also formed into battalions, but with the command personnel mounted on their vehicles as they render honors.

These are made up of the mostly nationally produced military vehicles and equipment in service and being introduced to serve the needs of the modern PLA.

A notable unit to serve in the mobile column is the female contingent from the Bethune Medical College, which was introduced to the parade in 1984.