An upcoming military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II, scheduled for Sept. 3 in Beijing, will feature over 10,000 troops marching in goosestep down Beijing’s central causeways. Tanks, artillery, and ballistic missile launchers will join them, under a blue sky patrolled by jet fighters and made free of smog thanks to draconian civil measures implemented this August specially for the event.
Forces from Russia, Cuba, Mexico, and a few other countries will also attend.
Authorities in the Chinese capital and surrounding provinces have spared little effort preparing for the event. But the measures taken to ensure clear skies and maximum security have drawn criticism for the heavy-handed constraints they place on local residents and business.
Auto traffic, flight bookings, retail, and industrial production have all been curtailed.
