
President Donald Trump congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people on the 70th anniversary of Communist rule Tuesday - on the day police in Hong Kong shot a protester in a dramatic escalation of violence there.

The president's congratulations came in a tweet posted after the news that a riot control officer shot the 18-year-old protester in the chest during pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong.

Other Republicans, including Liz Cheney, the party's third most senior member of the House, criticized China as it marked its anniversary and offered veiled rebukes to Trump for the tone of his tweet, while a Fox News analyst called Trump's tweet 'gross.'

The tweet was issued after footage posted by The Hong Kong University Students' Union showed a police officer drawing the gun and shooting a male activist at close range as the protester beat the officer with a baton.

The day featured the most extensive clashes between protests and police since protests began four months ago as China marked the anniversary of the declaration of the current Communist government in 1949.

A policeman was also filmed shouting at onlookers, demanding they throw Molotov cocktails at anti-government 'rioter' protesters.

And in Beijing, China showed off its military might with a massive parade of 15,000 troops, new drones, and ICBMs capable of hitting the U.S. - another cause of concern for Republicans.

Trump issued his 'congratulations' on the anniversary of the PRC

Longtime Fox News political analyst Brit Hume responded to Trump's tweet, writing: 'This is gross'

A picture shows the injured activist being given first aid before being taken to Princess Margaret Hospital

The wounded activist is seen being taken to hospital. He is said to be in critical condition after being shot in the chest

A riot police officer in Hong Kong is pictures shooting an 18-year old protester in the chest

A pro-democracy protester walks in front of a burning barricade during clashes with police in Wan Chai on October 01, 2019 in Hong Kong, China

An anti-government protester reacts from tear gas during a demonstration on China's National Day, in Wong Tai Sin, Hong Kong, China October 1, 2019

A pro-democracy protester runs from police as they arrest protesters during clashes in Wan Chai on October 01, 2019 in Hong Kong, China

Police arrest a protester in the Wanchai area of Hong Kong on October 1, 2019, as the city observes the National Day holiday to mark the 70th anniversary of communist China's founding

A protester throws a gasoline bomb in the Wanchai area of Hong Kong on October 1, 2019

Trump has regularly signaled personal respect for President Xi, praising their relationship, even as the two sides have failed to find an end to the trade war. Xi in 2018 was able to remove term limits on his office an effectively become president for life.

Back in July, he praised Xi's handling of the protests even after protests had left dozens injured hours earlier.

'I'm not involved in it very much but I think President Xi of China has acted responsibly, very responsibly,' Trump said when asked about the clashes last month. 'They've been out there protesting for a long time.'

Trump and his negotiators regularly complain that China allows for the stealing of intellectual property of U.S. businesses, while admonishing its aggressive military posture in the South China Sea.

Some fellow Republicans took a pointedly different tack in acknowledging the anniversary, a pivotal moment that allowed China to break free from years of subjugation by great powers, but also heralded famine, and crackdown on individual freedoms.

Modern China has become an economic powerhouse that is communist in name only while still maintaining the political structures set up after the revolution.

Ben Sasse, a Republican senator from Nebraska, said: 'Today Chinese tyrants celebrated 70 years of communist oppression with their typically brutal symbolism: by sending a police officer to shoot a pro-democracy protester at point-blank range.

'The freedom-seekers in Hong Kong mourn this anniversary, and the American people stand with them against those who deny their God-given dignity.'

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas was also critical and said: 'To see the price of the PRC's anniversary celebration, look no further than what's happening in Hong Kong: a ceaseless war against those who wish to live in freedom.

'From the Great Leap Forward to the Cultural Revolution to the camps in Xinjiang today, it has been a ghoulish 70 years of Chinese Communist Party control.'

Longtime Fox News anchor Brit Hume responded with a scathing retweet of the president. 'This is gross. Celebrating a brutal dictatorship on its survival,' he wrote.

Cheney, the Republican from Wyoming and the GOP Conference chair, as well as the daughter of former vice-president Dick Cheney, issued a searing statement along with Wisconsin GOP Rep. Mike Gallagher.

It did not mention Trump's tweet but was clear in its criticism.

'This is not a day for celebration. Rather, it is an opportunity to remember the victims, past and present, of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),' the lawmakers said in a statement.

'Since its founding, the People's Republic of China has deprived its citizens of their fundamental human rights and human dignity.

'From the tens of millions who starved to death during Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward, to the students who stared down tanks in Tiananmen Square, to the millions of Uighurs who have languished in concentration camps, and now to the courageous people of Hong Kong, the CCP's appalling record of repression is clear,' they wrote.

'Today the CCP continues to wage a campaign of aggression at home and abroad. Chinese citizens are every day subject to a nightmarish totalitarian dystopia with the PRC's ever-expanding surveillance state and social credit system.

'The Chinese government uses the same totalitarian tactics beyond its borders, bullying its neighbors and seeking to undermine sovereignty throughout the Indo-Pacific and beyond.

'On the anniversary of the PRC, the U.S. stands with the foremost victims of the Chinese Communist Party: Chinese citizens themselves.

'It is for their future, as well as that of their fellow victims in Xinjiang, in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and beyond, that we rededicate ourselves to ensuring that the Chinese Communist Party is left on the ash heap of history,' they wrote.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! President Donald Trump offered 'congratulations' to China on the 70th anniversary of Communist Party Rule

GREAT LEAP: Chinese President Xi Jinping, center, with former presidents Jiang Zemin, right, and Hu Jintao, left, attend the celebration to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of Communist China in Beijing, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. Xi was effectively made president for life when he was able to remove term limits

The parade in Beijing featured DF-100 missiles

Chinese female soldiers shout as they march in formation during a parade to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, at Tiananmen Square in 1949, on October 1, 2019 in Beijing, China

Also unveiled during the parade was the Dongfeng 17 hypersonic missile, an intercontinental-rage weapon which releases its warhead in low-earth orbit. The warhead then travels at hypersonic speeds to its target and is capable of changing target mid-air, which Beijing claims makes it impossible to counter. Washington believes it can also be tipped with a nuclear warhead

U.S. leaders have taken flack in the past while trying to acknowledge China's desire for respect and legitimacy while minimizing the potential for political blowback at home.

Republicans ridiculed former President Barack Obama when he bowed upon greeting Chinese President Hu Jintao.

In Beijing, there was no mention by name of the United States or Trump as Xi oversaw a massive military parade which included new nuclear weapons which can reach anywhere in the U.S. in 30 minutes.

The display was presided over by Xi, wearing a grey jacket in echoes of Mao Zedong. Standing in an open-topped car, he watched the show from the Gate of Heavenly Peace, from where Mao proclaimed the founding of the modern nation in 1949.

The military parade was China's first large-scale display of arms since 2015 and was used to showcase the leaps that its military - which has the second-largest budget in the world behind the US - has made since then.

Included in the display was a new intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting anywhere in America within 30 minutes, a hypersonic nuclear missile that is theoretically capable of evading all known missile defence systems, along with new stealth drones and aircraft.

'No force can ever shake the status of China, or stop the Chinese people and nation from marching forward,' Xi said as he inspected rows of vehicles, troops and gleaming missiles.

The Dongfeng 41 intercontinental ballistic missile, which is believed to be one of the most powerful nuclear weapons on the planet, was the centerpiece.

Analysts believe the missile is capable of ranging anywhere in the US and can hit targets within just 30 minutes of being fired with 10 nuclear warheads that are capable of striking multiple targets simultaneously.

President Barack Obama (L) took flak when he bowed while greeting Chinese President Hu Jintao at the the Nuclear Security Summit at the Washington Convention Center April 12, 2010 in Washingto

Chairman Mao Tse Tung announces the founding of the People's Republic of China. October 1, 1949. Peking (Beijing), China. Critics of the regime pointed to the deprivations caused by the Great Leap forward, the use of the gulag, and the horrors of the Cultural Revolution amid the celebration

Also unveiled for the first time was the Dongfeng-17, a hypersonic nuclear missile that is also though to carry multiple warheads, fly faster than conventional weapons to evade defense systems, and at a lower altitude to avoid detection before impact.

Helicopters flew in a '70' formation over the city as troops goosestepped across Tiananmen Square in what state media described as the country's biggest ever military parade.

He also called for the 'peaceful development' of relations with Taiwan - the self-governed island that Beijing considers a renegade province - but said China should 'continue to fight for the full reunification of the country.'

U.S. policy is for Taiwan to remain independent, in line with majority opinion there.

Xi, whose military modernization program has rattled nerves around the region, then descended to the street and inspected row upon row of military hardware and immaculately presented troops.

Riding past in a black limousine, Xi bellowed; 'Hello comrades, hard-working comrades!'

The massed ranks of soldiers shouted back: 'Follow the Party! Fight to win! Forge exemplary conduct!'

'The world's most powerful nuke' that can hit the US in 30 minutes, hypersonic drones and 'carrier killer' missiles: China shows off bristling array of new military technology during 70th anniversary parade

China unveiled a bristling array of new military technology during the parade to mark the founding of the Communist nation 70 years ago.

Nearly 30 types of weapon - including tanks, missiles, fighter drones and unmanned submarines - were unveiled for the first time.

Here, DailyMail.com examines Beijing's new arsenal...

Missiles

DF-41

China's latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is said to be capable of ranging up to 9,300 miles - putting the entirety of America within its reach.

The missile is said to carry up to 10 nuclear warheads which can be independently manoeuvred, meaning it can strike 10 targets simultaneously.

In order to evade defence systems it also carries decoys and can hit the US within 30 minutes of launch, limiting the amount of time defence systems have to respond.

DF-41, which took 10 years to develop, is 'the pillar of Beijing's strategic nuclear power', an anchor of the parade said.

DF, the short form of Dongfeng, means 'east wind' in Chinese.

DF-17

Another intercontinental ballistic missile, this one is fitted with a warhead that can travel at hypersonic speeds (see the flared nose-cone, above).

The warhead is also designed to fly lower than traditional ICBMs, making it much harder for radar defence systems to detect before it strikes.

China claims the weapon is capable of penetrating all known missile defences, including those of the US, and can destroy targets at medium or close range with high precision.

DF-17 means 'a death sentence' to all aircraft carriers within its range, which is said to be up to 1,553 miles, according to previous reports.

While Beijing said the weapon was 'conventional' - meaning non-nuclear - during the parade, Washington believes it can be tipped with a nuclear warhead.

DF-100

A hypersonic intermediate-range cruise missile that is designed as a 'carrier killer' to be used against aircraft carriers and other large ships.

The weapon has a range of up to 1,800 miles meaning it would have been banned under the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which America and Russia recently tore up, sparking fears of a new Cold War arms race.

The US said it was the development of weapons such as this by China - which was never a signatory to the treaty - which prompted it to rip up the deal, as it needs to counter the threat.

The cruise missile can carry out secretive missions by flying at a super low range, according to Chinese media.

It is said to be capable of striking targets in sea and on land.

JL-2

China's second-generation submarine-launched ballistic missile, the weapon known as 'giant wave' has been active for some time but has never been seen at a parade before.

Like its ICBM cousins, the SLBM is designed to deliver multiple nuclear warheads, but because it is mounted on a submarine it can fill in gaps in the range of ground-launched missiles.

The ability of a submarine to surface, fire its missiles and then disappear again also makes it much more difficult to counter the weapon.

YJ-18 and YJ-18A

YJ-18 and YJ-18A are Beijing's latest anti-ship cruise missiles.

Being paraded for the first time, the two missiles can be launched from submarines as well as ships.

They have been described as China's 'secret weapons' for naval warfare.

Both missiles can be launched vertically from vessels and travel as fast as three times the speed of sound, it is claimed.

YJ is the acronym for 'eagle strike' in Chinese.

YJ-12B

An upgraded version of YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missile, YJ-12B boasts a maximum range of 310 miles and could be stationed in remote islands, such as those in the South China Sea.

China claims that the missile can sink medium to large vessels during surprise attacks and will server as a cornerstone for the country's naval defence system.

HQ-9B and HQ-22

HQ-9B long-range ground-to-air missile and HQ-22 mid-to-long-range ground-to-air missile are capable of intercepting various weapons in complex electromagnetic environment.

They are described by China as its 'strong shields' and can help the nation safeguard its vast airspace.

Also known as the 'red flag' missiles, both models appeared in a military parade in 2017 to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.

DF-31 launcher

The DF-31 is an older Chinese ICBM, and the predecessor to the DF-41 that was unveiled Tuesday.

While the existence of the nuke is nothing new, it appeared on the back of a new launcher which appears to be capable of going off-road.

That would make potential launch sites much harder for an enemy to identify and prevent them from blowing the weapons up before they could be used.

Aircraft

W-8 hypersonic reconnaissance drone

A reconnaissance drone that can range as far as the western Pacific and is designed to acquire targets for China's new missiles.

The drone would likely be used to seek out aircraft carriers which could then be destroyed using the DF-21 or new DF-100 anti-ship missiles.

Its speed - faster than that of sound - and streamlined body are designed to make it near-invisible to radar and difficult to hit, even if it can be detected.

G-11 Sharp Sword long-range stealth attack drone

A long-range attack drone that is designed for stealth, it is thought the craft can be armed with missiles and laser-guided bombs.

In the event of a conflict the drone could be be used offensively to sneak into enemy territory and destroy strategic targets, or defensively to extend the range of China's new anti-ship weapons.

J-20 stealth fighter

China's fifth-generation stealth fighter that is designed to rival America's F-35 Lightning II and Russia's Su-57.

Armed with air-to-air missiles to take out enemy jets, the J-20 is an 'air superiority' fighter - aimed at establishing dominance over the battlefield.

Once it has cleared the skies of other fighters, the J-20 is then capable of striking ground targets with a range of bombs

H-6N bomber

The H-6 is China's mainstay long-range bomber, but Tuesday's parade saw a new variant unveiled, the H-6N.

One of the new features, which was showed off in the skies over Beijing, is the ability to refuel mid-flight, extending the range of China's jets.

The other feature is the ability to carry some of China's latest missiles including the DF-21, extending the range of the country's defences.

Tanks

Type 15

The Type 15 main battle tank is a modified version of the Type 99, designed to be smaller and lighter, and therefore more manoeuvrable on the battlefield.

It boasts a 105mm gun capable of firing armour-piercing shells and guided missiles.

The tank is deigned primarily for overcoming sea obstacles and navigating coastal regions, which could earmark it for use on disputed island in the South China Sea.