Beijing Clamps Down as Parliament Delegates Gather

[Up2Late]

(good thing our Government doesn't worry about this stuff anymore)

Thu Mar 3, 2005 10:46 PM ET

By Lindsay Beck

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese security forces took up position in Beijing by the tens of thousands on Friday as delegates gathered for the annual session of parliament, ready to crush any display of dissent.

Cars entering the capital on a sunny but cold and blustery morning were being searched, with new security measures including a ban on hot air balloons, model aircraft and paragliders.

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have focused on narrowing the gap between rich and poor since they came to power two years ago, but police have already removed at least one group of disgruntled farmers from the capital for protesting.

"More than 650,000 people will stand guard and go on patrol on the city's streets and lanes every day to guarantee security," the Legal Evening Post quoted a Public Security Bureau official as saying.

China's leaders also fear public grieving for ousted Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang, who opposed the use of force to suppress student-led protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989, could spiral into protest and Sunday marks the end of the traditional mourning period. He died on Jan. 17.
(more at link)
<http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7804599&src=rss/worldNews>

[Up2Late]

1. For everyone how saw this story and said, "Oh China Clamps Down...

...ho hum, They are deploying 650,000 troops around their Capital to suppress protest! That's 4 times MORE troops than we have in IRAQ!

This is from our governments "New Best Trading Partner!"

This IS a Big Deal:grr:

[Skidmore]

2. 4X more troops than we have in Iraq and

probably more troops than we have in all the US. Yup, we need to grab this tiger by the tail and pull.

Stupid idiotic greedy self-serving dunces we have managed to let have another term here!! Unfreakingbelievable!!