Gala celebrations on China’s National Day

CHINA: China launched a massive shutdown of bustling central Beijing Wednesday on the eve of a spectacular celebration of 60 years of Communist rule, with authorities determined to leave nothing to chance.

The Forbidden City and other key landmarks around the Chinese capital’s Tiananmen Square were closed and city residents hurried to tie up loose ends at work before a wide swathe of the capital was completely blocked off.

At least 100,000 people will take part Thursday in National Day festivities centering on the square that will laud China’s revival — under Communist Party leadership — as a world economic, military and political power. Spearheading the gala will be a military parade with some of the latest-generation home-grown weaponry, in what experts say will be a statement to the world that China must be taken seriously.

A heightened security presence could be seen along the parade route, with police on patrol, some approaches to the avenue sealed off with police tape, and many of an estimated 800,000 red-sashed security “volunteers” out in force.

China typically holds grand celebrations every 10 years to commemorate revolutionary leader Mao Zedong’s October 1, 1949 proclamation of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at Tiananmen.

Beijing, Wednesday, AFP