Pigeons, kites banned from Beijing skies China
China has banned the flying of kites, drones, lanterns and racing pigeons over Beijing for more than two weeks as it prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule.
Officials have prohibited any airborne activities that could affect flight safety in seven of Beijing’s 16 districts through the national holiday.
The city centre has been on lockdown during recent weekends for military parade rehearsals leading through the streets to Tiananmen Square.
Aside from a massive parade by the armed forces the celebrations will include a speech by party leader Xi Jinping, a fireworks display and a pageant involving 100,000 people.
A select 30,000 citizens, including ‘‘outstanding Communist Party members, model civil servants and workers’’ will be invited to watch the extravaganza. Earlier this month, some bars and nightclubs were ordered to close to ensure no brawls occurred around the big anniversary.
Elite Chinese officials, who typically value stability ahead of such sensitive political dates, are facing a number of challenges this year, including a protracted trade war with the US, a slowing economy and anti-government protests in Hong Kong.
Human rights activists often ‘‘disappear’’ around these times as Chinese authorities clamp down on possible opposition.
Officials also order factories to close to ensure a backdrop of clean air and blue skies on the October 1 holiday. The festivities commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 when Communist forces took power after defeating Chiang Kaishek’s nationalist army.
General Chiang retreated to Taiwan, setting up a rival government called the Republic of China. Taiwan today is a selfgoverned democratic state although Beijing still regards it a renegade province.
– Telegraph Group