On August 21, Chinese authorities increased security in the center of Beijing as preparations for a parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Japaneseth occup occupation victory, scheduled to take place on September 3 at Thien An Mon Square. The Chinese military previously conducted two general inspections on August 9-10 and August 16-17.
Beijing police have set up a series of checkpoints, requiring vehicles to divert from some routes, and closed many shopping malls and office buildings around the central area. On Truong An Avenue, the police stopped a pedestrian about 500m from Thien An Mon Square, demanding that his identification documents be presented and his bag be checked.
Ms. Lee Eun-young, a regular reporter in Beijing for a Korean newspaper, recounted that when being checked, the police confiscated a wet cloth in her bag because she was "alcoholic". According to her, authorities can seize any items containing alcohol to prevent the risk of fire and explosion.
In Vuong Phu Tinh walking street, a short distance from Thien An Mon subway station, fences are erected close together. Traffic police stood at many intersections, using loudspeakers to regulate vehicles entering and exiting the Truong An Boulevard area.
During the rehearsals, many key locations such as Thien An Mon, Quoc Mau and Beijing Railway Station were temporarily blocked. Tourism activities to historical sites have only been resumed since August 18, but visitors still have to go through a strict security check process.
The official parade on September 3 is expected to last about 70 minutes, with the participation of General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping and a number of international leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Chinese military will mobilize more than 500 military equipment and 200 aircraft. According to China's Ministry of National Defense, tens of thousands of people will attend the event, but the specific number has not been released.
