Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Hu Jintao (R) shakes hands with an attendee before an art performance in Beijing, capital of China, Feb. 3, 2010. Hu Jintao extended Spring Festival greetings to military veterans and ex-officers at the art performance here Wednesday. (Xinhua/Wang Jianmin)

Chinese President and Chairman of the Central Military Commission Hu Jintao extended Spring Festival greetings to military veterans and ex-officers at an art performance here Wednesday.

Hu wished them a healthy and long life.

During the performance, representatives of army men participating in the massive parade in October last year in Beijing in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the New China went onto the stage to give Spring Festival greetings to military veterans.

Artists performed dances, songs and dramas that praise the country and the armed forces' achievements, and the close relations between the servicemen and ordinary Chinese people.

Also present at the gathering were senior military officials Guo Boxiong and Xu Caihou, and military veterans including Zhang Wannian and Cao Gangchuan.

China's Spring Festival or Lunar New Year's Day falls on Feb. 14 this year.