ID required of senders of mail, packages to Beijing
Beijing will enforce tighter traffic and security measures starting September 1 for the military parade on September 3 to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. [Special coverage]
Several subway stations on Beijing's 10 subway lines will be shut down on September 2 and 3, while the operations of Line 1, which passes through Tiananmen Square, will be suspended between 10 pm on September 2 and 1 pm on September 3, according to a statement released by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau on Friday.
Vehicles will be prevented from passing through roads near Tiananmen Square from September 1 until the end of the parade, as well as parking in these areas.
The rostrum of Tiananmen Gate, the historic site where the late leader Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, has suspended visits until September 3. Other parks and museums located near the square, including the Forbidden City and National Museum, will also be closed until September 3.
Eleven other parks located further away from the square, including the Beijing Zoo, will conduct security searches between September 1 and 5. Visitors will be banned from carrying lighters, knives and other flammable chemicals, The Mirror reported.
Five major commercial roads, including Wangfujing Street and Xidan Street, will suspend business activities from 12 pm on September 2 to the end of the parade.
Similar traffic control measures were implemented on August 23 for a rehearsal. While people marveled at the military hardware and aircraft on display, some also said traffic restrictions had caused inconvenience.
A Beijing resident surnamed Hu, who lives near a subway station which will be closed for the parade, told the Global Times that even the vegetable market inside her residential community is required to close on September 2 and 3.
Some living in areas cordoned off also said that they need to undergo inspections before being allowed in.
Reports also said those who send mail or packages to Beijing from August 20 to September 5 are required to provide their ID card information, while gasoline stations close to Chang'an Avenue, where the parade will be held, will be closed on September 3.
The capital also implemented specific measures to control air pollution, including suspending the operations of 1,927 factories and work at 453 construction sites. Urban management authorities have likewise banned outdoor barbecues.
The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau has ordered the China Resources Snow Breweries in Beijing to shut down on Thursday for releasing excessive amounts of nitric oxide.
