BEIJING, July 1 (Xinhua) -- More than 30,000 people from all over China gathered in Beijing's Tian'anmen Square for a flag-raising ceremony early Friday morning in celebration of the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

At 4:48 a.m., the country's flag was hoisted, with the entire crowd joining in a vocal rendition of the national anthem.

Tibetan students and children who became handicapped after being injured in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake were present at the ceremony.

"People in Sichuan [Province] have regained their confidence in the three years since the devastating Wenchuan earthquake. We have received great support from the CPC and our motherland," said Zhang Wei, the leader of a group of 30 handicapped children attending the ceremony.

"We got up at 1 a.m. to attend the ceremony," said Padma Yangzom, a primary school student from Nedong County in northwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Gyezang, a teacher leading the group of Tibetan students, said it was the first time for the students to watch the flag-raising ceremony at Tian'anmen Square, adding that they were "very excited."

"The CPC has encountered some hardships over the past 90 years. I hope that under the leadership of the CPC, our country will continue to become greater," Gyezang said.