I can see Tiananmen, so what?

I'm moving into my new apartment tomorrow, from where I can see the rooftops on Tiananmen Square. Great location, huh? I might not be able to enter my own apartment on 1 October though, when China's celebrating the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic. Since I live so close to the military and board flipping parade, my neighbourhood is turned into a high security zone.

Tomorrow I'll go the local police station and see whether I still can obtain a special card to access my own flat.

If I get one I might be one of the lucky foreigners to see the parade.

These days helicopters circle over Beijing and heavily armed military guard university campuses. Even the kitchen knives department at Carrefour is closed.

However, I have not heard a single complaint. It seems like most people are very proud of the PRC's anniversary.

This year's 1 October celebration will feature a show greater than last year's Olympic opening ceremony. Over 200,000 people will march and flip boards. Students at the campus I now live at, have been practicing marching for months... a mass manifestation like never before.

Also, Chinese will enjoy an unprecedented 8 days of national holiday. Imagine the whole of China taking holiday at the same time... To get a train ticket a friend of mine had to stand in line for four hours. And China's airports will be flooded with 150 million passengers in a matter of a few days.

I wonder what international coverage the event will get. It seems to me that the manifestations are especially aimed at Chinese rather than to impress foreigners. Time Magazine has covered the story ('China's Moment'), otherwise I've read little about this in European and American press.