Central Beijing locked down as Chinese military practices for huge October 1 parade

Security forces blocked access to residences with views of the Avenue of Eternal Peace, ordering several foreign media outlets in the area to leave their offices for the weekend

Other rehearsals are expected each weekend leading up to October 1, leaving residents facing the same restrictions

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Onlookers gather on a pedestrian bridge to catch a glimpse of preparations for a military parade in Beijing on Saturday. Many of the streets in the central part of China's capital were shut down overnight on Saturday for a rehearsal for what is expected to be a large military parade on October 1 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Communist China. Photo: AP

Published: 5:47am, 8 Sep 2019Updated: 12:29pm, 26 Sep 2019

The centre of Beijing was under lockdown early Sunday for a night-time parade rehearsal by the Chinese military which is preparing for October 1 ceremonies to mark Communist China’s 70th anniversary.

The enormous Avenue of Eternal Peace, which leads to Tiananmen Square and runs east-west, was closed to traffic for about seven miles (a dozen kilometres) to allow troops to parade around Tiananmen Square, the symbolic heart of Chinese power.

It is where Mao Zedong in 1949 proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Areas around the Avenue of Eternal Peace were gradually closed to traffic from late Saturday afternoon and were expected to stay off limits until Sunday morning, causing traffic jams.

Security forces blocked access to residences with views of the avenue, ordering several foreign media outlets in the area to leave their offices for the weekend.

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