brutally suppressed. See landmark moments in China's 60 years China has returned to world prominence through a 20-year economic boom, the speed and breadth of which is unparalleled in the history of mankind. China went from global economic irrelevance to the third largest economy in the world. The People's Liberation Army, no longer a junkyard army, has emerged as a formidable military power capable of launching a human being into space and shooting down satellites. Take a look inside China's space program The People's Republic of China marks its 60th anniversary on Thursday with 300,000 participants and 60 floats to highlight the country's achievements in various sectors of the society and economy. See anniversary preparations in photos A military parade will feature goose-stepping troops marching down the Avenue of Eternal Peace. Modern military hardware -- tanks, armed personnel carriers, missiles, helicopters and fighter jets, all made in China -- will be on display. Fireworks will cap the festivities. See how China has changed over 60 years But pomp and pageantry aside, China's phenomenal economic growth over the decades has triggered unintended consequences: rising unemployment, growing income gaps, endemic corruption, rising criminality, environmental degradation and social malaise. Millions of Chinese live on less than $1 a day, and social tension sometimes boil