Chinese President Hu Jintao showed his first appearance in a high-collared dark Mao suit in a grand national ceremony, following the dress code that top Chinese leaders reviewed National Day military parades.

Former President Jiang Zemin and Hu's top colleagues, the eight members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, all dressed in Western-styled suits with bright-colored ties.

Shortly after, Hu, riding in an open-roof home-made Red Flag limousine with a license plate specially showing the year of 2009, shouted "Greetings, comrades," in his review on the troops and equipment along the Chang'an Avenue as the commander-in-chief of the People's Republic of China (PRC) armed forces.

Cheers and hails burst out when on-site spectators found Hu appeared at the Tian'anmen Rostrum.

Less than half year ago, President Hu donned a dark Western-styled suit with a blue-striped tie when he reviewed an international fleet on April 23 in waters off the northern seaport of Qingdao to mark the 60th founding anniversary of the PLA's Navy.