Hong Kong protesters hit the streets as China marks 70 years of Communist rule

Protesters are keeping up the barrage of stones on a government building in Cheung Sha Wan in Hong Kong’s Kowloon area.

The fire alarm is going off inside the building, and some protesters are trying to force their way inside, while others continue to throw stones and vandalize things around it.

A fire has been set nearby as well.

There’s an atmosphere of anticipation in Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po district, where hundreds of black-clad protesters have gathered. Many are waiting, playing on their phones or taking a rest. Some are passing around drinks. One group of protesters told us they had word that police were on the way.

But not all is calm here. Some are throwing objects and pointing lasers at the Cheung Sha Wan Government Building, where a number of windows have already been smashed in.

Some of the protesters appear to be ready for a fight. There’s the smell of burning rubber in the air and the constant ringing of sirens from the government building, which protesters are pummelling with stones.

As of 8 p.m., there are 51 people being treated at Hong Kong’s hospitals following a day of violence, according to the city’s Hospital Authority. There are two patients in critical condition, one at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and one at Ruttonjee Hospital. There are also two “serious” cases. 

The Hospital Authority spokesperson could not provide information on the nature of the injuries.

As celebrations kick off in Beijing, protests are continuing in Hong Kong. Fires have been set in multiple parts of the city, where protesters are facing off with riot police.

Earlier today, protesters set fire to a national flag, which police “condemned” in a statement. There have also been fires set to trash cans, motorcycles, and fake paper currency scattered on the streets.

Celebrations have kicked off again in Beijing, with fireworks fired from Tiananmen Square, which is lit up with bright lights.

People in the city have been enjoying the festivities all afternoon, and many have been planning all day on how to best catch the fireworks.

The celebrations are especially vibrant now that it’s dark out – performers wearing shiny silver outfits are dancing, while others are holding what appear to be light-up screens that change colors to form a giant national flag when the performers gather in formation.

As they stand in formation, the electronic screens change to become mountains, clouds, and other symbols.

Hong Kong police have announced that a police officer “fired a live round” and an 18-year-old man was “injured near his left shoulder at about 4 p.m.” in the Tsuen Wan district this afternoon.

Police Senior Superintendent Yolanda Yu said during a press conference that “a large group of rioters attacked police officers on a large scale on Tai Ho Road in Tsuen Wan.”

Yu also said that “We police do not want anybody to be injured, and it is hurtful for us.”

She added that the injured victim was sent to Princess Margaret Hospital and was conscious.

Local media have broadcast images of a man being savagely attacked by protesters in Hong Kong’s Mong Kok neighborhood.

It’s unclear what started the confrontation, but the middle-aged man was quickly set upon by more than a dozen protesters and fell to the ground, where he was kicked, punched and hit with weapons.

Protesters also doused him with liquid and some kind of powder. When the man stood up, he looked dazed and was bleeding from his forehead.

Previous confrontations have broken out frequently around the edges of protests, with passersby set upon by demonstrators after confrontations and quickly outnumbered. While some incidents came after people attacked protesters, others escalated from just verbal disagreements or shouted slogans. Police have warned that the violence is growing out of control, and have expressed concern that someone could be killed in such an altercation.

Hong Kong police vehicles are slowly moving forward through Causeway Bay as authorities appear to be chasing protesters eastward.

Some small groups of demonstrators are lingering around Victoria Park. One protester threw an object at a police van as it passed by, eliciting cheers from the others.

Watch the moment here:

A thousand miles away from the raging chaos in Hong Kong, young people in Beijing are lining up outside restaurants and planning how to watch tonight’s fireworks.

But as news of the protests in the semi-autonomous Chinese city made its way over the Great Firewall, many young people in China were full of anger and disdain for their peers in Hong Kong.

He was waiting for dinner in the trendy restaurant district of Guijie with a group of friends. He said that it is inevitable that Hong Kong will move closer to Beijing.

“There won’t be any good outcome for you if you fight with the great China,” he said. His friend repeated unfounded claims that protesters were shooting at police as well, so he didn’t mind if authorities had fired back.

But there were quiet glimmers of support for Hong Kong, spoken in whispers meters away from the large groups of black-uniformed security guards.

“You know we don’t have very many channels to know the news,” a 25-year-old Beijing resident said, after hearing that a person had been shot. “The (state-run) Global Times only has one opinion on the issue.”

His friend, who refused to give any name, said that he didn’t believe everything he saw on TV. “Not all of it is true. Inside China we have our own issues as well,” he said.

United States President Donald Trump has tweeted his congratulations to Chinese President Xi Jinping on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

“Congratulations to President Xi and the Chinese people,” Trump said.

He did not mention the military parade, or the ongoing protests in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong police is warning the public of violent riots across Hong Kong, and have taken to social media to “strongly condemn” the protesters.

“Currently, there are rioting acts across Kowloon, Hong Kong Island and the New Territories. Rioters have started fires and committed mass property damage, injuring many people,” the police posted on Twitter.

“The police urgently appeal to every member of the public to stay in safe places, avoid going outdoors and stay tuned to the latest situation.”

Earlier today, the police also tweeted that protesters had thrown “corrosive fluid,” injuring several police officers.

For the past few months, Hong Kong protesters have operated according to the phrase “be water,” inspired by martial arts icon Bruce Lee.

Today – as with other days during the protest movement – that motto was very much put into practice.

Just over an hour ago, protesters and police were facing off on the streets of Mong Kok district, with police firing rounds of tear gas and protesters throwing petrol bombs. 

Now, an uneasy calm has set in. 

Right now, the protesters are nowhere to be seen. Instead, shoppers wander the streets as they might on any other night. The neon lights that the district is famous for continue flashing. 

But there are still signs that this is no ordinary night in Mong Kok. There are long lines of police vehicles, their blue and red lights flashing. Expletives are graffitied on walls, and subway stations have been smashed and vandalized. Nathan Road, a major thoroughfare, remains barricaded off – every so often a driver pulls up, only to be forced to do a U-turn.

The European Union has called for “de-escalation” and “restraint” in Hong Kong after a man was shot by police earlier today.

Maja Kocijancic, the EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said in a statement, “More than three months since these protests began, the right of assembly and the right to demonstrate peacefully must continue to be upheld in line with the Basic Law and international commitments.”

“The EU attaches great importance to Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy, as set out in the Basic Law,” she added.

This is the first time lethal force has been used by Hong Kong police in four months of unrest.

The power of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was on full display in Beijing earlier today, during the country’s 70th anniversary celebrations.

Could that same military strength be used to quell protests in Hong Kong? That’s a question many have started to ask in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, where anti-government protests have been raging for almost four months.

While there has been no indication yet that Beijing is planning to deploy troops to restore order, the fear of a possible PLA intervention has triggered memories of the brutal 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown among many in Hong Kong.

But a decision to put PLA boots on Hong Kong streets would be “unimaginably detrimental” to the city and its economy, Willy Lam, adjunct professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong said in August.

The stock market would likely crash, followed by the housing market. A mass exodus could follow.

Hong Kong can request help: Hong Kong’s government is legally allowed to request help from the PLA garrison of more than 6,000 soldiers if public order in the city spirals out of control.

But given Hong Kong’s close ties to mainland China, a decision to deploy them could ricochet through the entire country at a time when the world’s second biggest economy is already vulnerable because of the trade war with the United States.

Read more here. 

Night has fallen in Hong Kong, but the unrest is far from over. And among protesters still on the streets, news of the man who was shot is already having an effect. 

Tiffany, a 21-year-old student who has gone to the protests almost every week, said she was shocked by the news. 

“I feel shocked and really angry,” she said. She said she didn’t think it would make protesters more violent, but she did think it would lead them to keep protesting. 

There are signs that the news may be encourage other protesters.

Earlier, before protesters charged the police, they shouted, “Remember, a protester has been shot by a live round,” followed by profanities. The shooting appeared to be a kind of battle cry as protesters threw petrol bombs and charged forward.

A police source had confirmed to CNN earlier this evening that a man had been shot by police, but his identity and condition are still unknown. CNN has reached out to the police for an official statement.

Hong Kong’s Wan Chai district is filled to the brim with hundreds of riot cops and the stench of tear gas. Just a few hours ago, it had been swarmed by thousands of protesters marching through the streets. Now, nearly all of them appear to have left.

Civilians watched from the sides as riot police dressed in black and dark green moved block by block to clear the neighborhood, passing by smoldering debris likely set alight by protesters as they retreated.

Police seem to have little patience themselves, and have been quick to yell at journalists or civilians in their way. Some have yelled back.

Despite the tense scenes, some of Wan Chai’s iconic bars remain open. A few folks sipped wine and casually watched as dozens of riot police stormed by – a striking juxtaposition showing just how much violence has become the new normal after more than three months of nonstop mass demonstrations.

RTHK, Hong Kong’s public broadcaster, is pulling some of its reporters off the streets after one of its reporters was struck in the head by a projectile in the city’s Sham Shui Po district, site of some of today’s worst violence.

Here’s what RTHK said:

Journalist groups in Hong Kong have repeatedly criticized both police and protesters for putting reporters at risk, and called on local media to do more to protect reporters, such as by providing them with proper protective gear.

Most of the Hong Kong protesters on the streets today are young people – teenagers, students, millennials. Although the protests has seen support from all sectors and demographics, young people have remained the face of the frontline movement.

“They feel this great sense of hopelessness living here in Hong Kong because they know that China is encroaching on its freedoms,” said CNN correspondent Anna Coren in Hong Kong.

“You see it spray painted all throughout the streets – “Hong Kong is not China,” “Democracy now,” “We want five demands, no less.” It really is this movement that feels emboldened. It feels emboldened because it has been going on now for so long –17 weeks.”

Watch her segment here:

Protesters on Nathan Road in Hong Kong's Kowloon station.

With its colorful neon lights, Hong Kong’s bustling Nathan Road is a popular tourist spot, lined with restaurants and shops. But today, it’s become one of the settings for ongoing battles between protesters and police. 

The two sides are currently around 300 meters (984 foot) apart on the wide thoroughfare. To the north, there’s a row of hundreds of black-clad protesters, some of them in armored suits, many sheltering behind umbrellas and carrying bamboo sticks.

Earlier, the protesters gained significant ground, moving their battle line forward and advancing on police. Dozens of protesters threw petrol bombs and soft drink bottles, leaving small fires dotted across the road. “Save it for later,” some yelled, indicating that they plan to continue for some time.

Police retaliated by firing rounds of tear gas and charging the protesters, sending them fleeing down Nathan Road towards Mong Kok district and into side streets. 

There’s now a sense of anticipation – as well as lingering tear gas – in the air. The street is scattered with paper and broken glass, and a shop allegedly owned by people from mainland China has been vandalized.

Despite the tension, there are still hundreds of tourists and bystanders lining the footpath. They’re wearing T-shirts, and many have no protection on their heads or faces. Many filmed the clashes on their cellphones, and one man was spotted standing by drinking a can of beer. Two elderly people were seen being escorted away from the clashes by protesters.

While the condition of a man reportedly shot by police in today’s protests in Hong Kong is currently unclear, he appeared to be seriously injured when he was taken away in an ambulance.

For weeks, officials have been open about their concern that someone would die in the protests, and relieved that no deaths have occurred as a direct result of the protests, though demonstrators have linked several apparent suicides to the unrest.

What the government has said: Speaking to CNN last week, a senior adviser to Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam said that it was “a miracle” that no one had died. The adviser, echoing the comments of many foreign observers, pointed out that if such unrest were to take place in another jurisdiction, police would likely have already used lethal force.

“Police have been extremely restrained because we’ve given them strict orders to be restrained,” the adviser said. “We don’t want to see any major fatalities.”

They warned that a death linked to the protests could see things escalate on both sides, with more anger and violence from demonstrators, and potentially the use of emergency powers by the government – as some conservative voices have been calling for for weeks now.

A major escalation: They predicted that the type of emergency powers used could include things like anti-mask laws, extended detention, and potentially internet filtering such as targeting messaging apps like Telegram.

But the adviser was concerned that any declaration of an emergency by the Hong Kong government could enable Beijing to intervene – the laws which cover the central government doing so are all structured around an emergency situation.

“Declaring an emergency would bring on so much opposition from everywhere, bring you a step closer to Beijing intervention,” the adviser told CNN. “If we ourselves declare there is a state of emergency we’re halfway there.”

A video uploaded by Campus TV, a Hong Kong University student media organization, appears to show the moment a police officer shot a person in Tseun Wan. The video shows black-clad protesters attacking a handful of police officers with metal bars and other weapons.

The video also appears to show the individual striking the police officer with a pole just before the officer deployed his firearm.  A police source confirmed CNN that a man was shot with a live round by police in the Tsuen Wan district of Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon. CNN have approached police for an official statement.  

The protester was later taken away in an ambulance.

Separately, Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority said that one male is in critical condition at Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung in the New Territories. The Hospital Authority would not comment on the type of injuries of the critical case and would not provide any further information. 

Kwai Chung is the neighboring district to Tseun Wan.

As Hong Kong’s young people fight with riot police, tennagers in Beijing are lining up to see the new patriotic blockbuster.

“Me and My Country” is a series of seven short films all with a nationalistic theme, which only just released on September 30.

It has already made $40 million, according to state media.

“The film is considered a gift to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. All the actors performed for free,” according to the nationalist tabloid Global Times.

At Global Trading Center in central Beijing, all showings of “Me And My Country” have been sold out until at least 8 p.m.

Many people are reluctant to book after 8 because they want to get home in time to see the fireworks display later in the evening.

15-year-old Jiao Tongyu said he’d already seen the military in the morning, and was now giving up a chance to see the fireworks for “Me and My Country.”

“I’m excited to see the movie,” he said.

Violent protests are raging across Hong Kong on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. A man has been shot by police – a major escalation in the 3-month-long protest movement.

If you’re just joining us now, here’s what you need to know:

Hong Kong’s Admiralty district is soaked in blue after police deployed a water cannon spraying blue dye at protesters. Everything is tinted blue – the streets, the overpass, the street signs.

Riot police are gathered here – as well as several other districts, with high-intensity wildcat protests raging across the city. There has been escalating violence, as well as multiple arrests.

Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority says one male is in critical condition in Princess Margaret Hospital in Kwai Chung in the New Territories.

The Hospital Authority would not comment on the type of injuries of the critical case and would not provide any further information. 

A total of 15 people have been taken to hospitals as of 5 p.m. local time, according to a Hospital Authority spokesperson. Two people have already been discharged, and the other 12 injured are in stable conditions.

A man has been shot in the chest with a live round by police, a police source told CNN. His identity and condition are not currently known.

The reported use of a live round during today’s protests will further galvanize already angry and violent anti-government demonstrations, as they near their fourth month of continuous unrest. Today’s turnout put to bed any suggestion that the movement was losing energy or significant amounts of support, but the use of lethal force by police could see even more take to the streets in coming weeks.

At multiple previous protests, police have pulled out their sidearms and shot in the air or aimed weapons at protesters when they were in fear for their lives.

A police prediction: Last week, a senior police commander told journalists that the force was worried they would soon have to use live rounds on protesters themselves.

“Our officers are worried that the level of violence has got to such a level that they might have to kill someone or be killed themselves,” the commander said. “We have been so restrained but in the face of such violence this pressure has become extremely dangerous.”

What protesters say: Though it is unclear whether the person shot today was a protester, when asked about the suggestion that officers may end up killing a demonstrator in self-defense, activist Bonnie Leung – of the Civil Human Rights Front – said police using real ammunition and guns was “unnecessary and unjustified.” Leung added that officers are able to protect themselves in “many different ways.”

“They already have the power of arrest, they already have the power to use force, but they are using disproportionate force already. They have the least lethal weapons… They now have rubber bullets, they now have water cannons – they have everything,” she said.

“But what they are doing is that they are not just trying to protect themselves… they are actually doing more than necessary and more than the laws allow them to do in order to anger the protesters even more, and that creates danger.”

The victim: The identity of the man shot by police is so far unclear – as is whether he was a protester or passerby. Previous incidents of alleged police violence have led to the targets becoming icons for the movement, such as a woman hit in the eye by a beanbag round, or a man seen on video being attacked by a large number of police officers.

A police source tells CNN that a man was shot with a live round by police in Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan district.

It is not known whether the man was a protester, although there have been protests in Tsuen Wan today.

The man’s condition is currently not known. CNN have approached police for an official statement. 

This isn’t the first time police have fired a live shot during the protests – but it’s the first injury resulting from one. The previous times, police fired into the air as a warning during violent demonstrations.

Police are making arrests across the city, adding to the hundreds of people who have already been arrested (and largely released on bail) since the protests began three months ago.

The authorities have been increasing the amount of arrests they’ve been carrying out in recent weeks, with the idea that they will be able to crack down on the radical core of the increasingly-violent protests and stymie the overall movement.

Video footage from local media showed numerous mainly young people being forcibly detained at spots in Kowloon and on Hong Kong Island. Most were wearing black and came masked and in rudimentary body armor.

In Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui district, large numbers of black-clad protesters and riot police are facing off. Trash cans have been set on fire and placed in front of the closed subway station, and police are firing tear gas on busy thoroughfares.

The police have fired over twenty rounds of tear gas in Tsim Sha Tsui. CNN saw protesters throw petrol bombs as they retreated back down the main road following the tear gas deployment.

Lines of riot police are now advancing toward the protesters. Watch it here:

Protesters gather in Hong Kong's Admiralty district on October 1, 2019.

There are wildcat protests occurring all over Hong Kong right now, in at least six locations.

In Admiralty district, crowds in black are gathering near government buildings. Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for the Legislative Council, which has been a target for protests all summer.

Protestors set up barricades during a rally in Hong Kong's Shatin district on October 1.

Some protesters are digging up metal fences and tying them to bicycles to act as makeshift barricades.

They’ve also burned a national flag in Causeway Bay, a shopping district on Hong Kong Island. Police responded with an official statement to “strongly condemn” the protesters’ actions.

Protesters burn a Chinese national flag during a march through the streets of Hong Kong on October 1, 2019.

Riot police, armed with batons and full-body shields, are out in several locations across the city. They have fired tear gas and rubber bullets, as well as shooting blue dye from water cannons. They have also made multiple arrests.

A line of Hong Kong police near China's Hong Kong liaison office in Hong Kong on October 1, 2019.

In Hong Kong’s Admiralty district, outside the city’s Legislative Council, police have deployed water cannon, using blue dye to mark and identify protesters.

The blue dye water cannon have been deployed at several protests in the past month now, the dye is often mixed with tear gas liquid, meaning it stings as well as colors.

Protesters are flinging bricks and petrol bombs at the police in response to the water cannon. Crowds have gathered on the bridge and wide road, dressed in black and wielding umbrellas like shields.

The Legislative Council issued a Red Alert around half an hour ago, issuing a mandatory evacuation for people in the building.

Protesters in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay district have burned a national flag, according to the Hong Kong police.

The police released a statement to “strongly condemn” the protesters, and urged them to “stop their illegal acts and leave immediately.”

Read their full statement:

Protesters run after police fired tear gas outside government headquarters on June 12.

Jim, a 16-year-old high school student in Hong Kong, had never been to a protest before June 12. Now he’s a regular on the frontlines during clashes with police.

His story offers a glimpse into how teenagers and young students went from being apolitical spectators to frontline fighters in a matter of weeks – and why some will go to any lengths to support the cause.

“Before these events happened, I think actually I’m not quite important or political. Like, I’m just a student and I can’t do anything on my own,” said Jim.

“Now I know that everyone is very important, and when we have a lot of people joining together, we can be very powerful.”

Read more of Jim’s journey here.

Editor’s note: “Jim” is a pseudonym. He requested anonymity because he feared being targeted for his comments.

The entire Tsuen Wan subway line has now been suspended in Hong Kong as protests get violent in the Tsuen Wan district.

Local TV news show protesters throwing petrol bombs at riot police and setting up barricades on the street. The riot police have fired multiple canisters of tear gas.

More than a dozen MTR stations have also been shut down today, including the stations at Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Wong Tai Sin, Tuen Mun, and Sha Tin, where wildcat protests have broken out.

Read the MTR advisory here.

Police and protesters are clashing across the city, as wildcat protests bring chaos and disruption to neighborhoods on Hong Kong Island, in Kowloon and the New Territories.

A large blaze could be seen in Wong Tai Sin in Kowloon, where a line of motorbikes caught fire. It’s unclear how the fire started but it was the scene of violent clashes between protesters and police earlier, with some throwing petrol bombs.

In other parts of the city, police and protesters were facing off and getting ready for the next push. Tear gas has been fired several times already. Only the main protest march on Hong Kong Island remains peaceful, as the bulk of the crowd approaches Admiralty and the city’s legislature and main government buildings.

Grace, a 26-year-old protester in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan district, said she is protesting police brutality today.

She’s come out three or four times to the protests over the course of the movement, which has now stretched on for more than three months.

She’s not sure where protesters are heading today – she says she’s following the crowd. But she is worried the situation could become dangerous later, saying the police are “getting more violent.”

As for whether the anti-government rallies will continue, she expects people to keep coming out until all the protesters’ five major demands are met.

Student protesters hold placards at the Hong Kong University campus on September 20, 2019.

For months, people in Hong Kong have speculated that October 1 could be a deadline for Beijing to take action to end the ongoing protests.

The anniversary is a significant milestone, and China’s leaders will not want it overshadowed by the protests. Beijing officials have hinted at the possible deployment of troops in Hong Kong, and Chinese paramilitary police have recently held large drills in the bordering city of Shenzhen.

But it’s not clear what action the Chinese Communist Party might take. Some say the greater threat may actually be after the anniversary, if protesters embarrass the country’s leaders.

What Hong Kong leaders say: The Hong Kong government has said there is no such deadline for action by Beijing to end the protests. In audio leaked to Reuters in early September, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam can be heard reassuring business leaders that “they and ourselves have no expectations that we could clear up this thing before the 1st of October.”

Some context: The pro-democracy, anti-government mass protests started in early June, and have spiraled in anger and violence. The controversial extradition bill that started it all, which would have allowed extradition to China, has been withdrawn – but protesters aren’t satisfied.

Now, they’re pushing for four more demands, which include an independent investigation into police brutality and the dismissal of all charges against arrested protesters.

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China – but of course, as a cradle of civilization, China’s rich history goes much further back. Here’s a simplified crash course:

Ancient China: This era existed in 2070-22 BC, when there were various warring states that often joined and splintered under different kings and alliances. This is when much of early Chinese culture was born – its most famous philosophers and writers, like Confucius and Sun Tzu, lived during this time.

Imperial China: Qing Shi Huang first unified the warring states into one China in 221 BC. This era, which lasted until 1911, is what most people picture when they think of Chinese history – this when major inventions like the compass, the abacus, and papermaking came about. This is when the Great Wall of China was built, and when the Silk Road trade route was established.

There were also warlords and territorial conflicts, and wars between ethnic groups like the Manchurians and the Han. Again, parts of China splintered into separate kingdoms and reunified over the dynasties.

Modern China: The revolutionary Sun Yat-sen founded the Republic of China (ROC) in 1912 after helping overthrow the Qing dynasty, the last of the Imperial eras.

In 1949, the nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) government lost a prolonged civil war to the Communist Party. The remnants of the KMT retreated to Taiwan, while the Communist Party took control of the mainland.

Under Communist leader Mao Zedong, China underwent the disastrous Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Tens of millions of ordinary Chinese died under his policies, and the nation was consumed in bloodshed, torture and chaos for almost a decade.

It wasn’t until Mao’s death and the emergence of new leaders in the late 1970s that China’s economy opened up to the world, and new market-driven policies enabled millions to escape poverty.

As Hong Kong plunges into lockdown with protests heating up, Beijing is beginning to come back to life.

After weeks of stifling security and a morning where the inner city was almost empty, shops are opening and the streets are filling with cars and bicycles again.

Major Beijing avenues which had been shut since late Monday night for the parade have now begun to reopen.

The subway will begin to return to normal later in the evening as well.

The military parade might be over, but the celebrations aren’t done yet.

Families who watched the parade at home all day are now starting to come out for a night of festivities in the city’s parks and squares.

Later into the evening there will be cultural performances, before what is sure to be a dazzling fireworks display over Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

State media heavily promoted pieces of propaganda ahead of National Day – including the propaganda film collection “My People, My Country,” composed of seven short films focusing on key moments in Chinese history.

The movie, which opened in China on September 30, is a “patriotic epic celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’ Republic of China (PRC),” according to the nationalist tabloid Global Times.

“The film is considered a gift to the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. All the actors performed for free.”

A bombastic trailer featuring clips from the segment about the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese control was posted online by the newspaper. It received some criticism for appearing to downplay the city’s experience of handover in favor of focusing on the ceremonial raising of the PRC flag, and for featuring only Mandarin speaking actors, instead of the Cantonese used in Hong Kong.

Chinese state media proudly proclaimed today that hundreds of millions of people were watching the October 1 parade in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

But in the back alleys of Beijing, fruit and sweets sellers said they had missed it – they had jobs to do, even on a public holiday.

An elderly woman, who was selling pomegranate juice and cigarettes and asked not to give her name, said that she didn’t have time to watch. 

”I’ve got to sell this fruit in the morning,” she said. She said she might watch later if she gets time. 

Another man selling bingtanghulu, or sugar-coated fruit, also said that he had too much on to watch the parade.

Chinese social media is ablaze with patriotic fervor on the afternoon of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic.

All 40 of the top trending topics on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media site, are directly related to National Day itself or to patriotic themes.

The tag for the 70th anniversary itself has been viewed more than three billion times, according to the website’s figures.

Some of the other top phrases focus on top moments from the parade, like expressions of old soldiers or Hong Kong citizens waving flags.

One topic made up of just photos of good-looking Chinese troops has been liked almost 40,000 times.

“The nation has taken all of our husbands,” one commenter said.

See it for yourself:

A man cleans graffiti from the front of a building after protests on September 30, 2019 in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong protests have now stretched on for 17 consecutive weeks – more than 3 months.

They first started in June over a controversial bill that would have allowed extradition to mainland China. The bill has since been withdrawn – one of the protesters’ five major demands – but many remain unsatisfied.

Now, they’re pushing for the other four demands:

The demonstrations have spiraled into violence – it’s no longer unusual to see bricks and petrol bombs launched by protesters.

The prolonged violence has also hit the city’s economy hard – tourism in August dropped 40% compared to the same time last year. Businesses ranging from retail to food to hospitality have all reported a drop in sales – and there is no clear end in sight.

The difference between Hong Kong and Beijing on the afternoon of October 1 could not be more clear.

In Beijing, young families and elderly couples wander peacefully among beautifully manicured trees and lawns beneath red lanterns, as a female singer intones “I love you China.”

At Ditan Park, named after the Temple of the Earth nearby, the Chinese government has put on events for people to attend after this morning’s military parade.

Thousands of Beijing citizens pour through the park, chatting and laughing and looking at displays celebrating Chinese arts, including tapestry and jewelry.

Many carry Chinese flags or are wearing t-shirts celebrating the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic – all while mass protests continue in Hong Kong.

A mother surnamed Luo, who had brought her young son to the park after the parade, said that Hong Kong was “decaying.”

While the October 1 parade in Beijing treated Taiwan as part of China, the self-governed democratic island is not celebrating the People’s Republic – because it doesn’t consider itself to be part of it.

Taiwan and China have been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when the Nationalists fled to the island, officially called the Republic of China. Relations have waxed and waned since then, growing increasingly tense under President Xi Jinping, who has repeatedly promised to unify Taiwan with China by force if necessary.

Taiwan’s National Day: The Republic of China celebrates its own National Day on October 10, that date commemorates the start of the Wuchang Uprising in 1911, which led to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the original Chinese republic on January 1, 1912. The first President of that Republic, Sun Yat-sen, is also claimed by Chinese Communists as a precursor to their government, and a large portrait of Sun was on show at celebrations in Beijing.

During today’s parade in Beijing, multiple references were made to Taiwan, including that the “one country, two systems” principle which governs Hong Kong and Macao could be established on the island as well.

Given that Hong Kong is being rocked by protests, after over three months of political unrest and turmoil, that message isn’t likely to win over many in Taipei.

On Hong Kong Island, protesters are slowly moving west across Wan Chai and Central.

Max, a 27-year-old who did not want to give his full name or occupation, said he had come out to fight for freedom and for the protesters’ five major demands – the same things he had fought for at over 20 protests these past three months.

When asked about how he felt about National Day, he said he didn’t feel Chinese – he felt like a Hong Konger.

He said he was wearing the mask for two reasons: to protect his identity so he didn’t get arrested by the police, and because the hacktivist group Anonymous had supported Hong Kong five years ago.

As with much of the illustrations quickly disseminated during the 17 weeks of protest – art is informative and instructional in the leaderless movement.

Ahead of the Oct 1 protests in Hong Kong, this illustration was shared via Telegram and LIHKG – showing a protester with a hardhat, mask and shirt neatly tucked into his pants.

“記得攝衫呀” translates to “Remember to tuck in your shirt!”

Others had similar messages.

Protesters believe that the tucked shirt is a tactic to expose undercover police with hidden guns or other weapons. The new dress code came in response to an officer firing a warning shot on Sunday night.

Read more about Hong Kong’s protest art here.

There are now at least seven separate protests happening across Hong Kong, with police tear gas fired at several locations.

The police have issued three statements now urging protesters to stop and leave in Causeway Bay, Tuen Mun, and Wong Tai Sin districts.

After a morning of being celebrated at the National Day military parade in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping is the primary target of mockery and insults at the Hong Kong protests.

A disfigured poster of Xi was further disrespected by protesters in Causeway Bay, who threw eggs and spray painted slogans on it.

Xi was also lampooned by a large depiction of Winnie the Pooh – the Chinese president’s resemblance to the cartoon character has led to the series’ censorship in China and adoption as an attack line in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong protesters desecrate the Chinese national flag on September 22, 2019.

Beijing and Hong Kong look like polar opposites today – a parade and music in one, protests in the other.

In some ways, it’s a good representation of the fraught relationship between the two cities. Although Hong Kong is part of China, it’s also a semi-autonomous city with its own language, currency, legal system, and culture – and in recent years, its citizens have pulled farther away, with some even calling for independence.

The history: Hong Kong was formerly a British colony, and was handed back to China in 1997. This handover agreement is why Hong Kong is semi-autonomous; the terms of the agreement included protection of rights such as freedom of press and assembly. This model of governance is called One Country, Two Systems.

The deadline: This deal ends in 2047, when Hong Kong will likely be absorbed back into Xi Jinping’s authoritarian China. This date has become an integral part of the Hong Kong protests, with young people feeling like they’re running out of time in the fight for democracy and self-determination.

The destruction: You can see this split between China and Hong Kong in the protests’ wake of destruction. Protesters have burned Chinese flags and thrown them in the harbor; when they stormed the Legislative Council on July 1, they spray-pained “HK is not China” on the walls and erected a colonial flag.

A couple getting their wedding photos in Beijing on October 1.

Posing in a doorway of a traditional hutong in Beijing, a young couple surnamed Gao and Hang were getting their wedding photos today.

They said they had deliberately chosen to do their photoshoot on the People’s Republic of China’s 70th anniversary. 

”Plus it’ll be easy to remember when we got our photos taken,” said Hang, laughing. 

They haven’t set a date yet for the wedding but they said it was important to get their photos taken on October 1.

Hang is also wearing a red dress – both significant as a national color and an inherently lucky color in Chinese culture.

More subway stations have closed down in Hong Kong as the protests spread across the city.

These stations are now closed:

Trains will not stop at Kowloon, Tsing Yi and AsiaWorld-Expo stations, and the AsiaWorld-Expo Station is temporarily closed. All three are on routes which connect to the airport, a key target of previous protests.

The Hong Kong police have put out a second statement, this time directed at a group of protesters in Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun district, in New Territories across the harbor from Hong Kong Island.

Earlier, live feeds from Hong Kong’s public broadcaster RTHK showed protesters facing off with riot police, with several protesters charging police and throwing umbrellas.

Today we’re keeping our eye on two places – Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is leading the National Day celebrations, and Hong Kong, where pro-democracy protesters will try to disrupt Xi’s big day.

Here’s where they lie in relation to each other:

Police have charged protesters in Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin district, in northern Kowloon, where they had blocked roads and begun building barricades.

A large number of riot police charged the protesters who had gathered on a main road, firing tear gas ahead of them as they advanced. The protesters retreated fairly quickly, allowing police to retake the thoroughfare, though traffic remains at a halt.

While the main Causeway Bay march remains peaceful, more and more scuffles between police and protesters are breaking out at other demonstrations.

In the lead-up to today’s 70th anniversary celebrations, China’s Communist Party tightened its already strong grip on the country’s internet.

It’s now even more difficult to access websites restricted by the Great Firewall, the country’s extensive internet surveillance and censorship system.

A propagandist pushes back: In a surprising twist, the editor of state-run tabloid Global Times said that the crackdown was making it hard for even his government publication to operate.

Almost as soon as he’d sent the post, Hu quickly deleted it, saying in a second post that it had “spread very fast” and he didn’t want to “create a hotly-discussed point.”

Still, it’s highly unusual for one of the Chinese government’s most passionate defenders to criticize Beijing’s policy just over a week out from such a heavily politicized public event.

Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on August 29, 2019 in Beijing, China.

Today is being marketed as a celebration in China – but instead, with President Xi Jinping surrounded by crises, it could serve to highlight just who is to blame for the country’s current difficulties. 

On the economy: Xi’s defining policy has been the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a hugely ambitious trade and infrastructure megaproject linking China to markets across central Asia, Europe and Africa – but it has failed to deliver the economic boom times it once promised.

On trade: Xi’s approach to the US-China trade war often mirrors that of President Donald Trump, with the two sides continually escalating and refusing to back down. There were signs of progress this month – but there have been detentes in the past, and so far Xi and his negotiators have not managed to turn them into a lasting peace. 

The cost of the trade war: While Beijing has dealt with some of the fallout of the trade war by ramping up nationalism and anti-US propaganda, rising food prices and potential shortages will soon have people asking why the government isn’t doing more to alleviate their misery. 

Hong Kong headache: While Beijing may have succeeded in preventing the ongoing anti-government unrest in Hong Kong from spreading to other parts of the country, its hardline policy has otherwise been an abject failure. 

Failure to respond to protest demands in a timely fashion, coupled with heavy policing, has seen the protests escalate increasingly out of control. It has gained international attention, the city’s economy has suffered, and young Hong Kongers are growing more alienated from China.

Read more analysis here.

The Hong Kong police have released a statement, urging the protesters gathering on Hong Kong Island’s Causeway Bay to “leave immediately.”

The police also urged the public to avoid traveling to the area. The report room services in the Wan Chai police station, where protesters are heading, have also been temporarily suspended.

Baolan Tian (left) joins her follow senior citizen volunteers to help keep an eye out for any trouble ahead of major events.

A visitor to Beijing during a big political event might be surprised to find on many street corners and large parks, gangs of senior citizens wearing red armbands.

These are the Communist Party’s eyes and ears across the city.

Dressed in identical blue shirts, with armbands saying “volunteer,” the men and women talk quietly to each other and laugh with locals, all while keeping a keen eye out.

Sitting with three other volunteers, Cui was circumspect when asked what they were looking out for, saying they were watching for fights or fires in their local neighborhood.

One of her fellow volunteers, Baolan Tian, said she’s excited to celebrate the country’s 70th anniversary.

“Our motherland is rich and strong now …. Definitely the whole country is celebrating,” she said.

Some protesters in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay district are throwing fake money in the air – a take on a common tradition during the annual Hungry Ghost Festival. During the festival, people often burn fake currency for relatives in the afterlife.

One protester who was throwing a so-called “hell note” explained that today, fake currency is being thrown around because “in 1949 when China was established, it was the death of China. And for 70 years China lost its former spirit … we lost everything we treasured.” These hell notes are meant for the ghost of China, the protester explained.

The ground is now littered with these fake notes, with some protesters even setting fire to the small piles of paper.

Large numbers of people have joined the unauthorized protest march in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay, with several roads shutdown and blocks packed with people, most dressed in black and many carrying umbrellas.

While we won’t know proper numbers for hours yet, turnout looks to be among the largest protest in recent weeks. Organizers of the march – which did not receive police permission and is technically illegal – have called for it to be a peaceful demonstration, even as violence has already broken out in other parts of the city where protesters faced off with police.

The contrast between the crowds in downtown Hong Kong and those in central Beijing earlier today is striking.

For observers in Hong Kong, there’s been something of a jarring shift as the pomp and pageantry of this morning’s National Day military parade in Beijing has been replaced by now familiar sights of black-clad protesters in the streets.

In many ways this is reminiscent of 2017, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the city to mark 20 years since the city was handed over from the UK to China. Xi dodged protesters amid a heavy police presence to attend a formal ceremony marking the handover anniversary, and then left for Beijing before a traditional pro-democracy march took off.

Many of the demands heard at that pro-democracy march – for a greater say in how the city’s leader and legislature is elected – are still being voiced today in the anti-government unrest which has roiled the city for months now.

They were also voiced in 2014, when the Umbrella Movement rocked the city, at the time the largest protests to ever happen in Hong Kong. The failure to address any of the demands of the Umbrella demonstrations helped lead to increasing alienation and dissatisfaction with the government, factors that in turn also led to today’s protests.

Despite months of unrest and disruption in 2014, the government did not give into any of the protesters demands, something at the time may have seemed as a point of strength. That may have helped inspire more violence today however, as a frequent sign seen at protests read: “you taught us peaceful demonstrations didn’t work.”

Protests in Hong Kong’s Tuen Mun district have turned violent, escalating rapidly as demonstrators clashed with a small number of riot police.

On live feeds from Hong Kong broadcaster RTHK, police can be seen spraying pepper spray and making multiple arrests.

Protesters charged police and threw sticks, umbrellas, and even large plastic water barricades at them.

At the same time, thousands more protesters are marching on Hong Kong Island across the harbor, from Causeway Bay to Wan Chai.

Crowds gather in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, on October 1, 2019.

Today is a big day in both Beijing and Hong Kong. Beijing saw a massive military parade earlier today, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. Meanwhile in Hong Kong, protesters are gathering, and now number in the thousands.

If you’re just joining us now, here’s what you need to know:

People take part in the National Day parade in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 2019.

The Chinese government has developed a certain tell-tale aesthetic when it comes to great displays of power.

There’s the bombastic lineup of military arsenal. Waving Chinese leaders are often perched from prominent positions above the masses. Numbers are also important – thousands upon thousands of performers sport matching uniforms and complementary color schemes, producing dizzying formations seen from high up.

Flags are aplenty – audiences flap them enthusiastically from the sidelines, participants twirl and flip them.

Beaming children, curiously the best-looking, are chosen to represent the youth of the country and its future.

Flowers always appear, symbolizing everything from riches to longevity depending on the breed. And throughout, block characters are found boldly declaring Chinese slogans exclaiming everything from patriotism to economic progress.

During today’s National Day parade, floats and carefully choreographed performances showcased China’s proudest moments from the last 70 years – from Beijing’s 2008 Olympics (considered the country’s coming-out party) to the founding of the country’s high-speed rail network.

Woven throughout the colorful displays were bold reds and yellows. Red is a popular color – symbolizing happiness, luck and prosperity. Yellow, the emperor’s color in imperial China, symbolizes power and represents the earth in traditional Chinese culture. The pair of colors are seen everywhere from the Chinese flag to the Forbidden City’s temple roof and walls.

The National Day celebrations aren’t just in Beijing – people are celebrating across the country and taking time to rest on Golden Week, a weeklong public holiday.

It’s even reached the Changbaishan stratovolcano on Jilin Province, which straddles the border between China and North Korea. Visitors on the mountain are waving Chinese flags, and speakers broadcast President Xi Jinping’s speech from earlier this morning.

Take a look here:

The crowds in Causeway Bay and Wan Chai

Crowds numbering thousands are slowly moving from Causeway Bay to Wan Chai district on Hong Kong Island.

Many are wearing Guy Fawkes masks and carrying banners. One protester offered CNN’s reporter on the ground a vial of Chinese medicine that’s supposed to help against pepper spray.

Banners and placards call for revolution and democracy.

Shops everywhere are shuttered. It’s a public holiday today, so most people aren’t working anyway – but any shops that may have stayed open regardless likely closed in anticipation of the protests.

Crowds are gathering in Hong Kong on October 1, 2019.

A protester spray paints slogans onto the street in Causeway Bay on October 1, 2019.

There are now thousands of protesters gathered in Hong Kong’s shopping district of Causeway Bay. Most are dressed in black, as per tradition for this summer’s pro-democracy protests.

Some are waving black protest flags and placards that read, “End dictatorial rule, return power to the people.”

One protester spray painted graffiti onto the ground, which read: “God destroys Communist government. Blood for blood.”

China’s National Day parade has ended, marking 70 years of the People’s Republic in a burst of patriotic glee. The event went off almost flawlessly – marred only by the pollution that China’s leaders were for the first time in recent years unable to clean from Beijing’s skies ahead of a big event.

The smog didn’t seem to bother the marchers, however, and the parade itself was an impressive display of coordination and organization, showcasing everything from the country’s increasing military prowess and economic might, to floats on President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive and a “democracy and rule of law” display.

Nationalist displays can hardly be expected to do much of a reckoning with a country’s history, but it was notable which topics were quickly skated over, such as the period between the country’s founding in 1949 and the rise of Deng Xiaoping, the great economic reformer who took over after Mao Zedong’s death and the twin disasters of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.

There was also some major fudging of reality when it came to Hong Kong and Taiwan. The semi-autonomous city, where protests are already kicking off today and are expected to get violent later, was given several mentions at various points in the day, including in Xi’s speech, in which he said the “one country, two systems” principle would work so long as it was subscribed to by all involved.

“One country, two systems,” was intended to be a potential model for Taiwan’s unification with China, but the parade appeared to want to get a head start on that: Taiwan was depicted on a float along with all other provinces, as if it were already part of one country.

There may be anti-government, pro-democracy protesters gathering in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay – but there are also some pro-China supporters gathering elsewhere in the city.

The pro-Beijing demonstrators gathered at the Star Ferry Pier in Central earlier today, before taking the ferry across the harbor to the Tsim Sha Tsui Pier. Images show the demonstrators waving Chinese national flags and carrying a giant flag. Many are dressed in red, and have the Chinese flag painted on their face as well.

It’s a marked contrast to the pro-democracy protesters, some of whom are waving colonial flags outside the British consulate and black protest flags in Causeway Bay.

Chairman Mao Zedong declared the foundation of the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949, a historic moment marked by cannon salute and a grand military parade outside the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Few images exist of the event itself, which came at the end of a bitter civil war in China when the country was severely impoverished. But this newly released archive footage, recorded by a Russian film crew invited to watch the celebrations, gives a rare insight into the momentous day.

Watch it here:

Eagle-eyed observers may notice an unfamiliar feature on the eastern edges of Tiananmen, separating the square from Chang’an Avenue (literally Avenue of Eternal Peace).

The East Three-Arch Gate, which troops can be seen filing through at the video’s 0.13 mark was demolished in the early 1950s, along with a parallel gate on the square’s western side, as part of the Communist Party’s sweeping modernization effort.

Hundreds of people have begun gathering in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay area, for the start of an unauthorized march.

The Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), which organized mass demonstrations attended by hundreds of thousands of people earlier this summer, had requested permission to hold a march today but was denied by police – who cited concerns about violence.

Many people are taking part nevertheless, including CHRF vice-convener Figo Chan, who said he was there in a personal capacity. Other veteran pro-democracy campaigners, including former legislators “Longhair” Leung Kwok-hung and Lee Cheuk-yan are also on the scene.

Outside department store Sogo, people were milling around shouting slogans, including “stand for freedom, fight with Hong Kong” and “five demands, not one less.” Protests are expected to last all day and into the night, with a large police deployment across the city.

The parade in Beijing is ending now. It was kicked off at 10 this morning with a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping, then an 80-minute military parade that saw several new weapons unveiled and a massive show of force.

There was then a mass parade, with dancers, performers, floats, and giant portraits of past leaders – and, of course, a portrait of Xi.

There may be further celebrations in Beijing later tonight, but that’s it for now. But over in Hong Kong, things are just picking up now, as more and more pro-democracy protesters begin gathering.

Red propaganda banners with their yellow or white lettering aren’t unusual in Beijing, local government officials have gone into overdrive to mark today’s celebrations.

Down the length of central Chang’an Avenue (Literally “Avenue of Eternal Peace”) where today’s October 1 parade will pass, large displays of flowers have been built in tribute to China’s modern achievements, such as 5G technology or the Hong Kong Macau Zhuhai Bridge.

A huge flower bed on Chang'an Avenue, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

“Unite closely around the party center with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. Strive for the grand victory of socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era,” one large flower bed just east of Tiananmen Square reads.

In the run up to today’s parade, many local Beijingers came out to see the huge displays or take selfies next to them.

A propaganda poster on a Beijing overpass, calling on people to celebrate the Communist State's 70th anniversary.

Elsewhere in the city, propaganda banners call on people to come together to celebrate the past seven decades.

“If the people have faith, the country will have strength and China’s ethnic groups will have hope,” one sign near Tiananmen Square proclaims.

A propaganda poster on the wall of a building near the Forbidden City.

A float for Taiwan has just passed by on Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue, where the celebratory parade is taking place.

Taiwan has been self-governed since separating from China at the end of a brutal civil war in 1949, but Beijing has never given up hope of reuniting with what it considers an integral part of the People’s Republic of China.

Beijing has placed mounting diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan, conducting live-fire drills in nearby seas and flew H-6K bombers and surveillance aircraft around the island.

There are now floats passing by Chang’an Avenue representing separate cities and provinces.

Several seem to feature robots. The float for Liaoning province, an industrial base, is fronted by a giant winged robot, striding forward like a ship figurehead.

There are a few other bizarre floats – one had a treadmill mounted on top, with performers running endlessly.

Another has a miniature train running on a track built into the float, ducking in and out of a tunnel in a fake mountain.

It’s National Day in Hong Kong too – but it’s not immediately apparent. The semi-autonomous Chinese city marks the annual celebration with a public holiday, but many people are staying off the streets this year.

Hong Kong police warned citizens Monday to expect “severe disruptions” caused by “unauthorized public events.”

Protests are planned throughout the day, with major demonstrations scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., local time.

“You wouldn’t know that there’s a giant celebratory parade going on in Beijing. Whereas people gathered in malls and other public spaces in the Chinese capital to watch, many malls in Hong Kong are actually closed today due to fears of protests,” says CNN’s Josh Berlinger, who is currently the city’s in downtown area.

Between the huge propaganda posters and the miles of red flags, thousands of Beijingers are just enjoying a well-earned day off.

On the mostly deserted streets, there are no spontaneous parties or celebrations, no barbecues or spontaneous fireworks displays.

This isn’t like July 4 in the United States or Australia Day. The feeling on the streets is more of a holiday, than a mass celebration.

Many people are still at home, watching the October 1 parade on their televisions.

The citizens who are on the streets have the quiet air of people who are enjoying a public holiday. In the parks, they dance or play games. One man is practicing his recorder underneath a pagoda.

77-year-old senior citizen Lu Shaokang who was sitting in the park rather than watching the parade told CNN that his wife wouldn’t let him watch television – so he may as well go outside.

Many people said they are planning to head to the movies later on, to see the new patriotic blockbuster, “Me and My Country.”

Chang’an Avenue is filled with floats and marchers – many representing abstract ideas. One float earlier represented China’s technological advances, and another represented “democracy and the rule of law.”

Another float and marching group represented “Chinese culture” broadly, with performers including traditional opera singers.

Passing now is a float meant to represent “a high moral standard to educate the young people,” said state TV.

A sea of students and teachers also marched by, waving their school flags

“Education is paramount to the nation’s future,” said the state TV broadcaster.

A float with a large mockup of China’s constitution is intended to celebrate “democracy and the rule of law,” according to state TV.

While the constitution, first declared in 1954, does contain protections for human rights and propound democracy, this ideals are severely lacking in practice.

Dissidents have been imprisoned for calling on China’s government to honor its constitutional commitments. In 2008, many propounded Charter 08, a document calling on Beijing – on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – to introduce an independent legal system, freedom of association and eliminate one-party rule. 

The following year, one of the charter’s co-authors, Liu Xiaobo was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment for “inciting subversion of state power.” Liu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, died in 2017 under close guard, after years in prison, his family and wife harassed by secret police and his work stamped out by China’s censors.

Today’s National Day parade is something of a second coronation for Chinese President Xi Jinping, said Yang Jianli, a longtime dissident and founder of the US-based Citizen Power Initiatives for China.

“The parade is important for Xi,” Yang said. “He is seeking a mandate for (dropping term limits) and in turn, enthroning himself as king.”

A portrait of Chinese President Xi Jinping is seen at a camp on the outskirts of Beijing on September 25, 2019. 

In a piece co-written with human rights activist Aaron Rhodes and shared with CNN ahead of publication, Yang added that “the nationalism on display on October 1 in Beijing is an aggressive assertion of ethnic and cultural superiority driving a mission to dominate and exploit lesser nations of the world, led by a personality cult, and with the military and economic might to succeed. ”

“More than ever, Xi must rely on nationalism to ensure political stability and the legitimacy of the regime.”

The parade so far has featured the giant portraits of past Chinese leaders like Mao Zedong and Hu Jintao. Now, it’s Xi Jinping’s turn.

The current president stood watching from above as his portrait was carried through the wide Chang’an Avenue by thousands of red-clad marchers.

After the portraits of former leaders and floats made their way down Beijing’s Chang’an Avenue, dancers and performers took to the wide street.

Lion dancers dipped and leaped, while children dressed in white performed acrobatics.

Former Chinese President Hu Jintao is the next leader to have his giant portrait carried down Chang’an Avenue as part of the ongoing celebratory parade.

Hu Jintao was the last president before Xi Jinping took office. Standing on the rostrum alongside Xi, Hu could be seen with gray hair – unusual for China, where even most elderly leaders typically dye their hair black.

Earlier, marchers had carried through portraits of Mao Zedong, Jiang Zemin, and Deng Xiaoping.

A large float displaying mock ups of the Basic Laws of Hong Kong and Macao has gone by, with signs reading “Hong Kong’s Tomorrow Will be Better,” and the same for Macao. According to state TV, the float represents “One country, two systems,” the system by which Hong Kong, Macao … and Taiwan are to be governed.

That might be something of a surprise to the people of self-ruled, democratic Taiwan.

While “one country, two systems” has always been seen as a possible model for the unification of Taiwan with China, its failure in Hong Kong – as seen by months of violent protests in the city – has taken what little sheen it might have had off.

Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has promised that Taiwan will never accept “one country, two systems,” and even the nominally pro-China opposition Kuomintang has come out against the principle.

Former president Jiang Zemin is the next to have his giant portrait carried down the avenue, following the portraits of Communist leader Mao Zedong and reformist leader Deng Xiaoping.

Jiang Zemin watches the procession from above, seated next to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

After carrying a giant portrait of Communist leader Mao Zedong earlier, now marchers are carrying the portrait of reformist leader Deng Xiaoping, often lauded as the man behind China’s economic opening up and progress.

In the parks and streets of China’s capital, people have stopped what they’re doing to sit and watch the parade. 

Some are just sitting on their bikes on a side street, glued to their phones.

One Sichuan tourist, who asked not to be named, was watching with his friend in Tuanjiehu Park, just outside the city center. 

He said he didn’t want to watch in his hotel. So far he said he was very impressed

One dad, surnames Feng, who didn’t want to his young daughter watch TV took her out to the park while the parade was on. But he watched on his phone the whole time.

“It’s important for her to know what’s going to today, and I’ll tell her, but she’s too little to understand,” he said

Jiang Zemin, seated to X

Seated alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping on the rostrum, and looking all of his 93 years, is former leader Jiang Zemin.

The first non-revolutionary leader of China, Jiang oversaw much of the reformation of the country’s economy begun by his predecessor Deng Xiaoping. He also oversaw the 1997 handover of Hong Kong from British to Chinese control, and the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Party.

While he officially stood down as President in 2003, Jiang retained power well into the rule of his successor Hu Jintao, and his influence arguably did not fully wane until Xi himself took the presidency.

Jiang’s death has been erroneously reported multiple times, to some celebration from critics of the former president who associate him with several human rights crackdown, in particular the campaign he launched against Falun Gong practitioners, essentially stamping out the religious practice in China.

A giant portrait of Communist leader Mao Zedong is being carried down Chang’an Avenue in Beijing, while videos of him play on big screens behind.

It was under Mao’s leadership that the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949.

Holdings photos of their relatives, a number of open top buses are parading by carrying the descendants and relatives of Communist Party heroes and former leaders.

Prominent in their number is Mao Xinyu, the grandson of Mao Zedong. A major general in the People’s Liberation Army, Mao Xinyu’s star has waned in recent years. He was not invited to an important five-yearly political meeting in 2017, and is largely a marginal, ceremonial figure in the Party now.

2,019 marchers are carrying a giant national flag down Chang’an Avenue. They will soon be followed by 21 floats.

As they march, bands play the Ode to the Red Flag, and spectators wave their own smaller flags on the sidelines.

The air show has ended, and the mass parade has now begun.

They are starting with a song, initially led by a little girl, before a sea of singers dressed in yellow joined in.

Then, a giant national flag and emblem are marched down Chang’an Avenue, carefully carried by a wave of marchers.

The H-6 has been Beijing’s core long-range bomber for years, but images taken during flyover rehearsals for Tuesday’s parade show what could be a significant upgrade.

Photos posted on social media sites in China – which have been popping up on Western sites – show what appear to be points to mount large missiles.

These could be DF-21 anti-ship ballistic missiles, according to Joseph Trevethick, writing on the War Zone blog.

The ability to carry the DF-21 would give the bomber “an impressive stand-off capability against large enemy warships, especially aircraft carriers,” Trevethick said.

Jane’s Defense Weekly noted another update on the H-6N over its predecessor, the H-6K – a nose-mounted probe for aerial refueling. That gives the bomber the ability to fly deeper into the Pacific from the Chinese mainland.

Combined, the two developments mean US aircraft carriers would need to stay further out to sea during conflict and their aircraft, predominantly F/A-18 jets, would have more difficulty reaching targets.

The military parade is now in the middle of an air show, with aircraft taking to the skies and new military weaponry revealed along Chang’an Avenue.

Planes fly overhead, trailing streaks of color in the smoggy sky. It’s polluted and gray today – an unusual sight, given that Beijing usually tries to ensure a clear blue sky on significant days like today.

One highlight of the parade is the first public appearance of the the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile, says military analyst Tong Zhao.

Much of the parade hype has focused on this powerful intercontinental-range ballistic missile, thought to be the mainstay of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Forces (PLARF) arsenal for years to come – and, by some estimations, the most powerful missile on the planet.

Under development since 1997, the DF-41 was rumored to appear in parades in 2015 and 2017, but instead was kept under wraps.

It is carried by a transporter erector launcher (TEL) so that makes this missile highly mobile and increases its survivability and operational flexibility.

“It is believed to have a big payload capacity which means it can deliver very heavy payload to very long distances. So most likely this missile will be armed with more than 1 warhead, but we don’t know how many it can accommodate. Some say it can accommodate as much as 10, but we don’t know. That would make it very powerful,” says Tong.

The Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies says the DF-41 will have a range of up to 9,320 miles (15,000 kilometers), more than any missile on Earth, and will be capable of carrying 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads. From launch in China, it could theoretically hit the continental United States in 30 minutes, the Missile Defense Project says.

Mobile-launched DF-41s can be carried by trucks and trains. Satellite photos taken earlier this year showed DF-41 mobile launchers in the PLARF Jilintal training area in Inner Mongolia, according to the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), which monitors world nuclear arms developments.

Those satellite photos also show what “strongly resembles” a silo, according to Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the FAS, who analyzed the images.

Kristensen wrote the possible missile silos appeared to bear more of a resemblance to Russian ICBM versions than existing silos for older, liquid-fueled Chinese ICBMs. The DF-41 is solid-fueled, like the Russian missiles. Solid-fueled missiles are easier to deploy and quicker to launch than liquid versions.

The backbone of the United States nuclear arsenal, the Minuteman III missile, is a solid-fueled, silo-based weapon. However, it carries only one warhead, as its original three-warhead design was limited by nuclear treaties with Russia.

China may be ready to deploy the DF-41 in numbers. At least 18 of them appeared to be at the Inner Mongolia training ground in satellite photos earlier this year.

Though capable of carrying 10 warheads, it is likely only three would be on each missile, with the rest being dummy or decoy warheads, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (BAS).

Part of that has to do with warhead availability. China’s nuclear warhead inventory is estimated at 290 for use on ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft, the Bulletin said in its 2019 report on Beijing’s nuclear forces.

This stealthy DR-8 drone drew lots of attention leading up to the parade, much of that due to its sleek shape and supersonic speed.

While the drones were not labelled or announced by state TV, analysts have been predicting what will be shown for weeks, and military experts will be watching closely.

Thought to be able to fly up to five times the speed of sound, the main mission of the DR-8 could be to get close to foreign aircraft carriers during conflict and send targeting information back to missile launchers, reports say.

Some analysts note that satellite images of what is believed to be the DR-8, as well as tarp-covered objects seen in parade rehearsals, resemble the US military’s D-21 supersonic reconnaissance drone, which was introduced in the 1960s.

The D-21 would self-destruct after dropping its high-resolution camera payload into friendly hands. The program was canceled in 1971 after four of the aircraft were lost in missions over … China.

Another drone expected to be displayed the Sharp Sword drone. The drone is thought to have two internal bomb bays and its stealthy design indicates it’s built for a new type of drone warfare, says analyst Sam Roggeveen, writing on the Lowy Institute’s Interpreter blog.

“What makes Sharp Sword different … is that it is stealthy, which means it is built not for Afghanistan-type scenarios, where the enemy is equipped with little more than rifles, but for situations where it might have to evade sophisticated air defenses,” Roggeven says.

The Sharp Sword was first tested in 2013, and an appearance in the October 1 parade could signal that it’s close to deployment.

Other countries, including the United States, have been developing drones to use off carriers. The US Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray has just started flight tests with an eye to deployment in 2024 as an aerial tanker.

The main weapon aboard China’s Jin-class fleet of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, the JL-2 submarine missiles are parading down Chang’an Avenue. Four of the subs are in service, with two more under construction.

Each sub can carry 12 of the single-warhead JL-2 missiles. With an estimated range of 4,473 miles (7,200 kilometers), it is regarded as more of a regional than global weapon.

That range puts targets from India to Alaska in range from coastal Chinese waters, the BAS report says. But for it to threaten the continental US, for instance, the subs would have to get past formidable US anti-submarine choke-points around Japan and deep into the Pacific.

A longer-range SLBM, the JL-3, was reportedly tested in late 2018 and again in June this year, according to Jane’s Defence Weekly, but that missile remains in development and it would be a surprise to see it on October 1.

Still, the Chinese SLBM force falls short of the United States. The US Navy’s Ohio-class ballistic submarine fleet numbers 14, with each of those subs capable of carrying 20 Trident missiles. Each of those missiles can carry up to 10 warheads.

Along with traditional air drones, China has also paraded its underwater vehicles. The state-sanctioned Global Times noted its appearance in rehearsals, adding: “More mysterious was an image of a large autonomous underwater vehicle. Its mission remains unknown.”

This could be one of China’s first undersea drones. A 2015 report from the Rand Corp. think tank said the Beijing government, relying mainly on military funding, had set up at least 15 research teams at universities and institutes to develop technology for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

Speaking on the live broadcast, a state TV commentator said the underwater drone could “dive deep under the sea” to carry out surveillance and military missiles.

Military vehicles and tanks are being rolled down Chang’an Avenue in Beijing now.

The day kicked off earlier with a speech by Chinese President Xi Jinping, then a show of discipline and order from marching troops.

Now, lines of tank formations are rolling down the avenue in perfect straight lines.

There is speculation that there will be new, never before seen weaponry revealed today.

Today’s military parade in Beijing is full of military might – and it has the height requirements to match.

Marchers in the parade have been selected according to certain requirements, with male soldiers between 1.75 and 1.85 meters (5.8 to 6 feet) and female troops 1.63 to 1.75 meters (5.4 to 5.8 feet).

The age range of soldiers taking part is broad, from privates in their 20s to senior commanders who are over 60, according to Chinese state media Xinhua.

A large number of tanks are parading down Chang’an Avenue, ahead of other heavy weaponry, including what is expected to be some never-before-seen machines.

Images have surfaced of Type 99 main battle tanks and Type 15 light tanks during parade rehearsals.

A story on the PLA’s English website notes the parade would mark the public debut of the Type 15.

It also noted a change in the Type 99s, desert camouflage, which was “delighting enthusiasts who recalled the jungle look of previous parades.”

There was no indication as to why the camouflage scheme was changed, but it prompted speculation about whether China sees a new mission for its ground forces.

China is flexing its military might with the parade right now – reminding viewers that it has the world’s largest standing army and world’s third largest air force.

Since 2014, China has launched more submarines, warships, principal amphibious vessels and auxiliaries than the total number of ships currently serving in the navies of Germany, India, Spain, Taiwan and the United Kingdom, according to a 2018 report by think tank IISS.

The parade will involve around 15,000 personnel, according to state-run news agency Xinhua. It also features more than 160 aircraft and 580 pieces of equipment, alongside 59 formations and a military band

Viewers worldwide are also keeping an eye out for new weaponry that may be revealed. Experts have speculated that these weapons may make an appearance:

Read here for more on the weapons, which may also include drone submarines and tanks.

Every time Chinese state TV coverage cuts to the Tiananmen rostrum, from where the country’s current and former top officials are watching the parade coverage alongside President Xi Jinping, it serves to emphasize just how homogenous recent generations of Chinese leadership have been.

Very few women are visible on the rostrum, because there are very few women at senior ranks within the Communist Party. The People’s Republic of China has never had a female president, nor have any women served on the Standing Committee, where all key decisions about running the country are made, since the party came to power in 1949.

The next rung down – the 25-member Politburo – previously had only two female members. Since 2017, however, it has only had one, Sun Chunlan.

While Hong Kong is led by a woman, Carrie Lam, who is in Beijing for the celebrations, she was nowhere in sight, as her rank is far lower than those on the rostrum. Her male predecessor, CY Leung, is up there, however, as he is now vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference.

The military parade is making its way down the wide avenue in Beijing, with neat rows of troops from all three branches of the military marching in perfect unison, heads all facing the exact same direction. It’s an impressive show of discipline – and it reflects the hours of preparation and rehearsals that came before the big day.

The marchers are composed of many different military bodies, including the Strategic Support Force, the Air Force, and the People’s Liberation Army Armed Force, and more.

Nearby, crowds wave flags and cheer as the parade passes by.

The air show is underway, with helicopters flying national flags across the sky above Beijing.

More aircraft followed, flying in formation to create a “70” in the sky – in honor of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China today.

After Xi Jinping finished his limousine ride down Chang’an Avenue, military troops performed ceremonial shows, before military aircraft took to the skies.

Beijing is flexing its military might, with soldiers jumping into tanks and standing tall with guns.

There may also be new weaponry revealed later today, with experts speculating the lineup could include new powerful drones and missiles.

The National Day parade and celebrations will be a key moment for China’s leaders to get their message across about the state of the country and where it’s headed, for audiences both domestic and international.

“The image the event portrays of China will be interesting to observe,” said Tom Rafferty, principal China economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). “Clearly it’s meant to be a day for celebration, but they probably want to avoid the appearance of triumphalism.”

Xi is in a good spot: Rafferty added that despite the challenges facing Chinese President Xi Jinping – such as the US-China trade war, protests in Hong Kong, and ebbing economic activity – he nevertheless goes into October 1 in a strong position.

“The trade war and Hong Kong have served to actually helped solidify Xi’s position domestically, as the party rallies around him in the face of perceived external pressures,” Rafferty said.

He also doubted whether protests in Hong Kong – expected to be widespread and potentially violent – will have much of an effect on the Beijing celebrations.

“In terms of the messaging domestically, I wouldn’t expect Hong Kong protests to have a big impact,” Rafferty said. “The party controls the media, of course, so the domestic messaging will avoid such issues and focus on positives. The disjuncture will be more apparent to the international audience.”

Chang’an Avenue, where Chinese President Xi Jinping is riding down in a limousine, is lined with tanks, military vehicles, and bands playing music.

President Xi Jinping looks comfortable and confident as he proceeds down Chang’an Avenue, greeting each unit of the People’s Liberation Army in turn.

“Greetings comrades,” Xi said, with the detachments chanting slogans about strengthening the country’s military in response.

This is Xi’s fourth major military parade as Chinese leader. In 2015, he appeared on the same spot to inspect the troops on the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. At that event, he announced a surprise reduction of troop numbers in the PLA – part of a major restructuring and modernization the Chinese military has undergone in recent years.

Two years later, Xi inspected the Hong Kong garrison on the city’s 20th anniversary of Chinese rule, the first time he visited Hong Kong as leader. There were mass protests that year, though nothing compared to what we’ve seen in recent months.

Also in 2017, Xi inspected troops at the remote Zhurihe military base in Inner Mongolia. For that event, Xi dressed in a camouflaged uniform instead of his usual Mao suit.

Zhurihe is Asia’s largest military training center in the middle of a desert and complete with life-size mockup targets such as Taiwan’s presidential palace. The PLA said at the time the location was chosen to demonstrate the force’s “combat readiness.”

Many people have gathered outside Tiananmen Square to try and catch a glimpse of the military parade – but even those staying indoors are watching.

People inside a mall in Beijing are all gathered around television screens, which are broadcasting President Xi Jinping’s ride in a limousine past the long Chang’an Avenue, filled with a seemingly endless line of military forces and vehicles.

In a forceful speech from the spot where Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People’s Republic of China, President Xi Jinping emphasized the country’s historic achievements and contemporary strength.

Xi’s address was big on broad nationalist strokes, playing into the longterm Communist Party narrative of lifting China from the “century of humiliation” it suffered under the Qing Dynasty, amid invasion by colonial powers including the United Kingdom and Japan.

The founding of the PRC, Xi said marked the end of the “humiliation and misery the country had suffered.”

While he emphasized “peace and cooperation,” Xi also hinted at two key issues that could spark future conflict: Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Hong Kong has been torn apart by violent protests for three months, and protests are expected to continue today, marring the celebrations in Beijing. Fears of a military crackdown in the semi-autonomous Chinese city have so far proven unfounded, but there is fear that following the National Day celebrations – the most important date on China’s calendar all year – the government may feel it has a wider hand to intervene.

In his speech, Xi promised to “unite the whole country.” The major outstanding issue in this regard is the self-ruled, democratic island of Taiwan, officially the Republic of China.

Separate since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, Taiwan has been under increasing pressure – both diplomatic and military – from China under Xi. As the island moves further away from China culturally and politically, with growing support for full independence, Beijing has increasingly threatened to take it by force if necessary.

Taiwan was once a Japanese colony, and both the island and Hong Kong fit into the century of humiliation narrative – to truly achieve “national rejuvenation,” China will have to unify both with the People’s Republic.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is now riding in an iconic Chinese built Hongqi “Red Flag” limousine down the road through Tiananmen Square, stopping in front of a band playing music and military members holding the national flag.

Xi is smiling as the limousine slowly makes its way down the road, past endless rows of uniformed men and tanks. He occasionally calls out “tongzhimen hao” (Greetings, Comrades!) to the various assembled troop units. Then he shouts “Tongzhimen xinkule” (Comrades, you’ve worked hard) to which they all respond in a chant in unison.

President Xi Jinping has just concluded his speech in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, marking the start of the military parade.

All eyes are on the parade today – friends and rivals alike worldwide will be watching for any new weaponry that may be revealed in a show of strength and military might.

In his opening speech in Beijing, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke briefly about Hong Kong, where pro-democracy, anti-government protests are kicking off right now.

“We must remain committed to the strategy of peaceful reunification and One Country, Two Systems,” said Xi, referring to the system of governance that gives Hong Kong its unique rights and semi-autonomy.

“We will maintain long term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau, advance the peaceful development of cross-strait relations, unite the whole country, and continue to strive toward the complete unification of our country.”

Hong Kong has been protesting for 17 straight weeks now, and shows no signs of stopping. There are protests scheduled for six different districts today alone.

“It was today, 70 years ago, that Chairman Mao stood at this very place and announced solemnly to the world, the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which marks the end of more than 100 years of humiliation and misery that the country had suffered since modern times,” said President Xi Jinping in his opening National Day address in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

“The Chinese people managed to stand up on their feet and embark on a great journey of national rejuvenation.”

“Today a socialist China is standing in front the world and there is no force that can shake the foundation of this great nation. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping has started his speech in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

“My fellow countryman, comrades, friends – today we are gathered here to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China,” he began.

“At this moment people of all ethnic groups, and Chinese men and women around the world, are filled with great joy and happiness, proud of this great country and sending good wishes to our great motherland.”

The ceremony has kicked off in Beijing, with a giant national flag unfurling and being raised as the Chinese national anthem plays.

Xi Jinping, standing in Tiananmen Square, sings along to the national anthem, along with a sea of people dress in yellow and military uniform.

A total of 56 cannons – to represent the country’s 56 official ethnic minorities – will be fired a total of 70 times, in honor of the 70 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in October, 1949.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has kicked off the celebrations.

His pronouncement was quickly followed by a cannonade which boomed across Beijing, as members of the People’s Liberation Army carried the country’s flag.

While Li is China’s number two official, he has been marginalized under Xi Jinping, with the President taking control of a number of key responsibilities – such as the economy – that typically fall under the Premier’s remit.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Jiang Zemin have walked out in Tiananmen Square as the National Day ceremony kicks off. Xi is expected to address the nation before the start of the military parade.

On Chinese state TV, drone and crane cameras are showing Chang’an Avenue, where the National Day parade will take place shortly.

The grand effect is spoiled somewhat by the horrific smog Beijing is suffering today. According to the World Air Quality Index, the AQI in the Chinese capital is 159 today, “unhealthy” on the international scale. “Everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects,” the website notes of such pollution.

While Beijing is no stranger to smog, to see it on such important events as this is astonishing. China’s leaders typically shut down factories and close roads to ensure beautiful blue skies, but they either haven’t today for fear of hurting the already shaky economy, or something has gone very wrong with the plans.

China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, has begun showing the military marchers and Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on TV in the lead-up to the opening ceremony

The footage shows sweeping shots of the city, which is decked out with red lanterns and flags.

The cameras also showed giant portraits of Sun Yat Sen and Communist leader Mao Zedong.

The square is full of dignitaries and guests, seated in rows facing the gate. They’re waving red flags at the camera.

A nuclear-powered submarine of the People's Liberation Army Navy's North Sea Fleet prepares to dive into the sea.

China is expected to show off some of the most advanced weaponry the world has ever seen during the military parade today.

Key among those is drone technology – of which Beijing boasts some of the world’s best – and advanced missile systems.

Here’s what to look out for:

Read here for more on the weapons, which may also include drone submarines and tanks.

A family gathers along a road in the hope of watching the parade in Tiananmen Square in Beijing on October 1, 2019.

Dignitaries and other invited guests in Beijing, most wearing suits and formal dress, are arriving to their seats near the Gate of Heavenly Peace facing Tiananmen Square.

They, too, are getting swept by the patriotic excitement, with many stopping to take a quick selfie in front of the iconic gate.

While the seats give a great view of the parade, they also face the smog-covered sun. Many attendees are hiding under spare pieces of clothing to shield from the rays.

At each seat, there is a small swag bag labeled “70th Anniversary,” holding a small Chinese flag, a bottle of water and a wet wipe.

Many people have gathered on the roads next to the security perimeter, hoping to catch a glimpse of the parade, which is expected to start around 10 a.m.

People gather outside Beijing's Tiananmen Square, hoping to catch a glimpse of the military parade, on October 1, 2019.

National Day parades are typically an opportunity for China to show off new weapons and demonstrate its military capabilities. Both rivals and allies will be closely watching to see what new armaments are put on display.

According to state-run news agency Xinhua, today’s military parade will involve around 15,000 personnel, “the largest in recent years.”

Here’s what to expect today:

Beijing’s complaint: Beijing has complained about the way the parade has been framed in the run-up. Speaking last week, Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian said certain people and forces “like to hype things up untruthfully” about the country’s military. 

“In their heads they have an extremely strange logic: if the Chinese armed forces show off arms and equipment then it’s a ‘show of force’, and if they don’t then they ‘lack transparency’,” Wu said.

A mall cinema in Beijing is promoting two main films -- a propaganda film and one about Communist leader Mao Zedong.

At a mall in Beijing, hundreds of red flags cover every surface, from the displays to the edges of the roof. 

A Communist Party propaganda film plays in an elevator’s small TV screen, followed by an advertisement for a patriotic movie which opened nationwide on Tuesday, ”Me and My Country.”

In a cinema on the top floor, which will be holding an exclusive screening of the 70th anniversary military parade, Chinese flags adorn the popcorn display. 

The main films being teased are “Me and My Country” and a film about the People’s Republic founder Mao Zedong.

Inside the cinema, almost all the moviegoers are wearing red flag pins, showing the Chinese or Communist flags, while children carry their own small flags. 

In total, 70 cinemas across the country will be showing the march, although it is unclear whether anyone could attend, or only Communist Party members.

But despite the celebratory and excited atmosphere, almost no one was willing to speak to CNN about the National Day or how they felt.

Moviegoers at a cinema in Beijing, China, on October 1, 2019.

Members of a Chinese honor guard stand in formation before a ceremony to mark Martyr's Day at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Monday.

Beijing isn’t taking any chances ahead of today’s massive military parade.

As of monday evening, all roads leading to Tiananmen Square were sealed-off, rendering large parts of the inner city entirely inaccessible.

The subway has also stopped running trains to the area around the square.

But some of the toughest measures have been reserved for the city’s hundreds of pet birds and racing pigeons.

Since September 15, pet birds have been banned from flying in the city, to keep the skies clear for the parade and its numerous rehearsals.

Drones and kites have also been banned from the skies until after October 1.

Speaking at a National Day event this morning, Hong Kong’s acting-Chief Executive Matthew Cheung could not ignore the protests which have roiled the semi autonomous Chinese city for months now.

Hong Kong's number two, Chief Secretary Matthew Cheung (3rd R), speaks during National Day celebrations in Hong Kong on October 1, 2019, to mark the 70th anniversary of communist China's founding.

Cheung, whose boss Carrie Lam is in Beijing for the official celebrations, said that “Hong Kong people desperately yearn to get out of the existing gridlock.”

Hong Kong and Chinese flags fly over Bauhinia Square in the city's Wan Chai district on October 1, 2019.

Speaking at an event that was itself targeted by protesters, leading to police deploying pepper spray before 9 a.m. this morning, Cheung said he hoped Hong Kong “can weather every storm we meet, seize any opportunity before us and continue to thrive in the years ahead.”

All across China’s internet, people and companies are showing their patriotism ahead of today’s National Day celebrations.

On social media sites, people are putting the red flag of the People’s Republic in their display photos.

What started as a trickle became a flood on Monday as more and more profile pictures turned red on Weibo, a Twitter-like social media site, and WeChat, a Facebook-like messenger service.

Apps quickly got in on the trend with China’s Uber-style service, Didi, changing their banner red to celebrate the anniversary.

Even state-run media was taking part in the trend. People’s Daily, the Communist Party’s official paper, has issued two apps inviting users to upload a profile picture and see themselves in the different costumes of China’s 56 officially recognized minority groups. But no matter your outfit, stuck to your face is a red love heart with the five yellow stars of the Chinese flag.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam at a press conference on September 24, 2019 in Hong Kong.

Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s embattled Chief Executive, is in Beijing today for the National Day celebrations.

She is there with a delegation of 240 people from various Hong Kong sectors, and will return to the city tonight.

Lam has been at the center of the raging protests all summer. She first promoted the controversial extradition bill, sparking mass opposition marches. Then, she suspended the bill – but protesters remained suspicious it could be restarted. By the time she finally fully withdrew the bill in September, many saw this as too little, too late, and the demands of the movement had expanded to include longstanding issues such as restarting the political reform process.

An attempt at dialogue: Last week, Lam held a community dialogue session with members of the public, the first such meeting since anti-government protests began 17 weeks ago.

Outside the venue, a few hundred protesters shouted slogans, calling on Lam to meet their demands. Many saw the community dialogue as a government public relations stunt – 20,000 people had applied to attend and only 150 were pre-selected in a lottery.

The Chinese government has pulled out all the stops ahead of October 1 to promote the 70th anniversary and a quiet excitement is detectable in parts of the city.

In Dongcheng district, 67-year-old retired worker Guo Fucheng said he was going to watch the parade at home with his dog, Feifei.

“China has been through so many rains and storms … I feel very proud of our country, we now have more say on the global stage,” he said.

Retired worker Fucheng Guo and his dog Feifei, who will be watching the parade together on October 1.

On monday evening, two university students out shopping in Beijing’s traditional hutongs said that they planned to watch the parade in the morning and then head to cinemas to see the newly released pro-China propaganda film, “Me and My Home Country.”

22-year-old Xiong Xing and her friend

Police clashing with protesters in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, on October 1, 2019.

Unrest in Hong Kong is kicking off early today – there were reports of protesters being pepper sprayed by police as early as 8 in the morning.

Pro-democracy protesters in the Wan Chai district carried a mock coffin as they attempted to reach official celebrations around the city’s convention center, sparking scuffles. More fights may continue later in the day as the protesters fan out across the city, with demonstrations planned in at least six different districts.

Protesters in Hong Kong carry a fake coffin as part of a demonstration on October 1, 2019.

Smog hangs over the Chinese capital of Beijing on Monday, one day out from the October 1 celebrations.

For Beijing residents, one of the few upsides to the frustration and inconvenience of a major Communist Party event in Beijing is the crystal-clear blue skies.

But ahead of National Day, Beijing’s ever-present smog has stubbornly refused to lift and the local government now says it’ll likely hang over today’s events.

The forecast for October 1 is expected to rank above 150 on the Air Quality Index, or “unhealthy” levels of pollution.

It’s an embarrassment for President Xi Jinping, whose last major parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2015 was held under pristine blue skies.

A 2016 report found that the Chinese government regularly shuts down factories and pulls cars off the road to reduce smog ahead of major events.

There’s no word on why the past week’s smog has stubbornly refused to lift.

Hong Kong’s subway, MTR, has closed its Admiralty, Wan Chai, and Prince Edward stations ahead of protests planned for later today.

Admiralty and Wan Chai tend to be hot spots for protests, as they are home to many government buildings and police headquarters. MTR stations themselves have also increasingly become targets for protesters angry at what they see as “collusion” between the subway system and the government and police.

Graffiti on an MTR subway station in Hong Kong. The system has increasingly become a target of protests.

MTR said the changes were due to “upcoming public activities.”

After 11 a.m., MTR will also close the stations at:

Trains will not stop at the above stations after 11. Find out more here.

Flags are out in force in the hip central Beijing neighborhood of Gulou.

The historic area, known for its hutong cafes and 13th century drum tower, is among several downtown neighborhoods to receive a pre-national day makeover.

There is not a business or a house without the red flag of the People’s Republic of China hanging out the front.

Red flags line the streets of the popular shopping district in Beijing's Gulou.

Tens of thousands of flags are lining streets all across the city, from the center of town to the suburban fringes in the south and the west.

Around Tiananmen Square, the country’s main landmarks are covered in them as well, from the Great Hall of the People to the southern Qianmen gate.

Tiananmen's Square Qianmen gate covered in red flags ahead of the October 1 parade.

Pro-democracy protesters crouch amid tear gas during clashes with police on September 29, 2019 in Hong Kong.

There’s an excited atmosphere in Beijing as people wait for the parade to kick off – but in Hong Kong, things are a bit more tense.

The past few days have been marked with violence as pro-democracy protesters clash with riot police. Events like the fireworks show, originally planned for this evening, have been canceled for safety concerns.

At a police press conference on Monday, police officials said protesters had thrown as many as 100 petrol bombs over the past two days.

“We are on the verge of extreme danger,” said a police official. “All acts are one step closer to terrorism. We are deeply concerned about public safety tomorrow and we express the strongest condemnation against all criminal and violent acts.”

Planned demonstrations: Hong Kong protesters have planned a series of protests in six different districts across the city, as well as a mass march that has been denied approval by the police – making it an unlawful assembly. Most of the demonstrations aren’t scheduled to happen until after noon.

China’s response: Chinese officials have strongly condemned the protests before – and in Beijing, civilians are also taking a critical stance.

“They are influenced by anti-China forces. If you are against the great China, do you think you will end up well? … If you don’t even love your country, what you can achieve? You at least should love your own country.”

The streets of Beijing, empty on October 1.

The streets of central Beijing are a complete ghost town early this morning, with the majority of the city shut down for the massive military parade. 

Inside the security cordon, the occasional hotel guest can be seen wandering alone through the empty streets. 

The only other people out and about are those in uniform: police, military and those assigned to help facilitate the parade.

Across the city, checkpoints manned by dozens of guards and metal barriers block-off roads and reroute cars.

The streets of Beijing, empty on October 1.

The Hong Kong flag raising is underway. A band played to a largely empty square amid a heavy security presence.

Previously, flag-raising ceremonies have been a target for pro-democracy protesters in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. On July 1, the anniversary of the Hong Kong handover, protesters camped out overnight outside government buildings – but as with today, there was a heavy security presence that limited access to the flag-raising site.

It’s China’s National Day – a big day in both Beijing and Hong Kong. In one city, crowds are celebrating and waving Chinese flags. In the other, pro-democracy demonstrators are expected to take to the streets with black protest flags and cries of resistance.

Here’s what you need to know: