PARTY TIME: Chinese students and scholars sing I Love My Motherland near the finale of a performance marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China at the Frederick P. Rose Hall of Lincoln Center on September 27 (HUAZHENG GAN)

"Hurrah! China is great!" Patrick Pan, a Shanghai-born Chinese who studied economics in London and currently works in New York, cheerfully shouted as a group of overseas students gathered to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) by watching the grand National Day parade in Beijing on TV on October 1.

As China grows stronger, a sense of national pride is also rising among overseas Chinese students, who feel a closer tie to their motherland.

At New York University, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA) impressed an audience with a special arts gala, a variety show consisting of volunteer performers, at the Frederick P. Rose Hall of Lincoln Center on September 27. As the first student organization to perform on this world-renowned stage, the show attracted hundreds of students from the Greater New York area.

Consul General of China in New York Peng Keyu was present to admire the display of talent in celebration of Chinese culture. He spoke highly of the event, which he said reflects deep roots and patriotic sentiments of overseas Chinese students to their homeland. Inspired performances fusing traditional Chinese and Western music filled the hall with both elegance and energy.

In the stirring choruses of Defending the Yellow River and My Home Is China, the party gala came to an end. The traditional Chinese elements evoked deep feelings of nostalgic yearning for the homeland across the audience. They sang along to Happy Birthday! Dear People's Republic of China! in a climatic moment, immersed in an atmosphere of celebration.

After the show, President of CSSA Zheng Xiaozhong told Beijing Review that the Lincoln Center was the best place to present such a grand show. "CSSA is one of the largest and most influential Chinese student organizations in the United States with over 200 members," said Zheng. "For 10 years, it has had the privilege of organizing such annual events to keep traditional customs alive and well by celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day of the PRC. Our dream is to make it match the economic strength of our nation, so we need a high presence at the gala."

When posters seeking volunteers were initially put up, students began pouring in for enrollment.

"It turns into another story when a press conference was held in Chinatown," said Gao Yu, Communications Director of CSSA. "Local Chinese communities offered tremendous support to bring it to such a grand venue. Chinese fellows from diverse backgrounds in New York came to buy tickets, and sign up for performances without asking for payment, which makes me deeply moved."

Composer Li Xinyan, who served as the piano accompaniment in the gala and is currently a Ph.D candidate at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and international composition prize winner, was a temporary team member special for the event. As a musician coming from China, she feels very proud of the PRC's 60-year development, especially when she stands on the international music stage with musicians from other countries.

"It is my great honor to perform in this gala, where I can express my feelings of gratitude to our homeland, and send my best wishes to her by the performance." Commenting on the performance of the overseas students in the chorus, Li smiled, saying it was "far beyond my expectations."

Chinatown was filled with a joyous and festive atmosphere for the celebration of the National Day of the PRC later that night, with Chinese national flags hanging high along the numerous city blocks. People attentively watched the live program of the grand parade with ceaseless cheers. "It feels like being back home," said Li, who has been in the United States for almost 30 years.

(Reporting from New York)