Chinese police, children mass for parade rehearsal

By Nir Elias and Lucy Hornby

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese armed police shut down a central swathe of Beijing overnight for a rehearsal of an Oct. 1 National Day parade showcasing the Communist Party-ruled nation's military strength.

Hundreds of thousands of schoolchildren and residents arrived in central Beijing on buses in the middle of the night, before marching down the Avenue of Long Peace to Tiananmen Square accompanied by marching bands.

The parade, held once every 10 years, will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. This year, it will be used to highlight China's military modernisation, and new international stature thanks to three decades of extraordinary economic growth.

Groups with flags and pompoms surrounded flatbed trucks, placeholders for the floats and missile carriers that will be flaunted on the day of the parade, celebrating accomplishments including the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.

"Chinese athletes continuously strive for the world's highest level," read a banner on one truck.

Police shut off the streets around the main avenue for the entire night, and volunteers with badges filled the central streets on the lookout for any troublemakers.

People's Armed Police armoured vehicles were parked by subway stations overnight. Paramilitary squads dressed in black, with knitted facemasks and goggles and fingering automatic weapons, stood guard beside the vehicles.

About 200,000 marchers took part, observers estimated.

Schoolchildren have been practising throughout the summer, with at least one Beijing middle school mandating three hours of rehearsal every morning this month.