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Lockdown in the capital ahead of military parade

Central Beijing was under lockdown on the eve of the nation's most sensitive anniversary of the year, with security forces on maximum alert ahead of the military parade and celebrations today to mark 60 years of Communist rule.

Heightened security could be seen everywhere in the capital, especially in downtown areas along the parade route as authorities completed final preparations for the one-day party starting at 10am.

Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and other tourist landmarks in central Beijing were being cordoned off until after tonight's elaborate fireworks display.

Most hotels, office buildings and shops along the parade route and many of those within the third ring road were ordered by authorities to close early in the afternoon.

Tens of thousands of police and plain-clothes officers were stationed at every intersection, bus and subway stations, and along all main streets. Helmeted Swat police and armoured vehicles were scattered on main roads leading to Tiananmen Square.

Nearly a million security volunteers in yellow uniforms and red armbands - mostly retired women in their 50s and 60s - patrolled the entrances of almost every residential building across the city, state media reported.

Authorities have been alarmed by two stabbings in central Beijing and an explosion at a Muslim restaurant in recent weeks.

People and vehicles entering the city were subject to scrutiny checks at more than 200 security checkpoints scattered around the city.

'We handle about 50,000 people and 10,000 vehicles every day and register every Beijing-bound person's identification. We'll guarantee that no troublemakers will get into the city through our checkpoint,' Dong Heyi , a police officer in charge of a checkpoint at Dayangfang in Daxing district, told state television.

Xinhua said that all flights would be grounded at Beijing Capital International Airport for three hours from 9.30am today.

Local authorities sent text messages and used state media to urge residents to give parade and outdoor celebrations a miss because of security concerns and road traffic bans.

Unprecedented travel restrictions were introduced last night. Parts of the subway system were shut and the closure will be extended today. Nearly 250 bus routes have been affected by widespread road closures in central areas. Those living near the parade route were warned by police to stock up on food and water in case they were not allowed to leave their homes.

All shopping malls from Fuxingmen in the west to close to the east fourth ring road will be closed today to make way for the military parade, which will see a massive east-west movement of troop and vehicles.

A manager at the Changan Shopping Mall in Fuxingmen said the closure was compulsory. 'It's just an order, and I don't see anyone has any room to negotiate with the government on the arrangement,' said the manager, who did not want to be named because of company policy.

Shopping malls started closing from 4pm to give security teams a chance to inspect them.

Hotels on Changan Avenue were ordered to keep all rooms facing the avenue empty and no individual guests will be allowed to check in until tomorrow.

A Grand Hotel employee said many people had contacted the hotel as early as last year to reserve rooms facing Changan Avenue, but they could not take any such reservations. 'There is nothing we can do about it. On October 1, only certificated government guests and employees can enter our hotel and even our restaurants have to stop serving other guests on that day,' a hotel reservations staff member said.

A law firm employee, whose office is in Oriental Plaza in Wangfujing said the building would be shut down for 48 hours. All offices were asked to keep employees' drawers open for an immediate search, and to turn their computers on for unspecified reasons.

'I guess they wanted to make sure those big black boxes are laptops, not bombs,' said the employee, who wished to remain anonymous.

An internet service company in the same building has asked several employees to prepare food and water while working through the National Day. 'Our services have to be on around the clock, so we have to prepare for the possibility of staying here the whole 48 hours,' an employee said.

The tightened security measures and authorities' warnings appeared to have done little to disperse large crowds of visitors yesterday afternoon along Changan Avenue, the parade site.

'We know about massive traffic restrictions but I'm just curious and wanted to bring my wife and child here to see how things have worked out and take a family photo. It's a moment of our lifetime,' Beijinger Zhang Yuan said.

Taxi drivers complained that there were fewer people on the streets yesterday, even during the morning rush hour.

'It's bad luck for us and we have been hit hard by the celebrations,' said a cabbie in his 50s, surnamed Wang, who planned to head home in the afternoon because of the traffic restrictions.

Staff at Dongzhimen subway station, the starting point of the airport railway link, said passenger flows were normal for a holiday.

Some travellers were trying to get on earlier flights out of the capital to ensure they got away. Huang Yuanyuan changed to an earlier flight to get back to her hometown in Changsha , Hunan , even though it was more expensive.

WHAT TO WATCH TODAY

10am, flag-raising ceremony

60 cannon shots representing the 60th anniversary; 60,000 pigeons released

Followed by military parade, lasting about 66 minutes

56 phalanxes to represent 56 ethnic groups; 14 more phalanxes, including one with 378 female soldiers

30 military weapon display teams; highlights include the latest ZTZ99 main battle tanks, YJ-8 series anti-ship missiles, DF-11 and DF-15 short-range ballistic missiles (with the capacity to reach Taiwan), Dong Hai-10 long-range cruise missiles (can reach US) and DF-31A ballistic missiles (can reach US)

151 aircraft flying over square in 12 teams, including KJ-2000 early-warning aircraft, H-6G bombers, HY-6 aerial tankers, Jian-10 fighter jets and Zhi-10 helicopters

About 11.15 am, civilian parade lasting 60 minutes

1,949 soldiers, representing the year the PRC was founded, carrying a 600-metre national flag and 2,009 soldiers carrying a huge national emblem

Processions to carry portraits of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao; soundtracks of these leaders speaking will be broadcast

Celebrities on floats: Olympic gold medallists Liu Xiang, Li Ning and Guo Jingjing; astronauts including Yang Liwei; and heros of the Sichuan earthquake

8pm, gala lasting about 100 minutes

Dance and music by ethnic groups; lion dance; modern dance and martial arts performance; performance by 50,000 dancers

Concludes with song led by Hong Kong star Jackie Chan and mainland singer Liu Yuanyuan

More than 4,000 'shining trees' with wheels and LEDs

9.45pm, world's largest fireworks show 300,000 shots, double the Olympics

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