Chinese troops practice marching ahead of a Sept. 3 military parade at a camp on the outskirts of Beijing
It’s a familiar pattern to any Beijing resident who lived through the Summer 2008 Olympics and a summit of world leaders last year: Anxious for big-ticket events to go off without a hitch, China halts factories, orders cars off the roads and closes offices and schools.
The Communist Party is rolling out a long list of such measures for a Sept. 3 military parade commemorating the World War II victory over Japan. It will go even further this time, banning TV content that may be too frivolous, shutting the airport and closing off much of the city’s downtown during the parade.
“In such a large scale public event, the Chinese leaders want to display Chinese power politically, and then the organizers become highly nervous,” said Qin Qianhong, a law professor at Wuhan University, based in Hubei province.
Here are some measures imposed for the parade:
A nationwide public holiday was declared for Sept. 3 and 4 and markets ordered closed on those days.
Pedestrian and traffic controls: Vehicles and people on foot were prohibited from the Tiananmen Square area on Aug. 22 and 23 for rehearsals. The same restrictions will be in effect on the day of the parade.
Broadcasts of some entertainment programs, including talk shows, reality shows and TV series, will be suspended from Sept. 1-5.
Business shutdowns: Any business with operations in the Tiananmen Square area and surrounding neighborhoods must shut on Sept. 2 and 3.
Factory halt: More than 12,000 plants will suspend operations to ensure good air. Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing, ordered nearly 4,000 companies to halt or cut production.
Some public parks will be closed the morning of Sept. 3. The Palace Museum, in the Forbidden City, will remain closed from Aug. 22 to Sept. 3.
Beijing Capital International Airport will suspend flights for three hours on the morning of the parade.
Traffic control measures: Car-owners may drive every other day from Aug. 20 to Sept. 3. Eighty percent of public vehicles in Beijing will be suspended from use.
Companies that produce toxic chemicals were ordered to suspend production from Aug. 17 to Sept. 6. Bloomberg
No Comments