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China's 60th anniversary of Communism: public barred from parade

Ordinary Chinese citizens hoping to come onto the streets of Beijing to watch a triumphant military parade to celebrate 60 years of Communist rule have been ordered to "stay at home" and watch the event on television.

More than 850,000 volunteers, easily identified in Beijing by their red armbands, have been mobilised to maintain security ahead of the parade, which will show-off some of China's most advanced military hardware to the watching world.

They will be followed by a "gala parade" of 60 floats celebrating the achievements of modern China on the themes of "progressing with my motherland, strive for the modernization, reform and opening-up to outside world, scientific development, brilliant achievement, beautiful China and prosperous future".

The parade will pass 56 specially erected poles "symbolizing the unity of China's 56 ethnic groups".

Read entire article at Telegraph (UK)