Commuters who live in the surrounding province of Hebei also reported longer waits at checkpoints for those travelling to and from the capital. A WeChat page for commuters in the nearby town of Yanjiao said that buses were being stopped and all passengers made to show their ID before being allowed to continue.
The security measures were most visible near the China National Convention Centre, an eight-story building near the Beijing Olympic Park which is hosting the event.
The authorities have closed the roads around the venue, sealed off subway exits, and banned members of the public from entering the area.
Around eight police vehicles and an ambulance were stationed around the convention centre, while personnel from various security agencies – including the People’s Armed Police, traffic police, regular police, urban management officers and red-armband wearing community safety volunteers – patrolled the area.
The main traffic arteries and footbridges in the city were also being guarded by the armed police.
As the most heavily policed city in the country, Beijing often ramps up security before important occasions or political events despite generally low levels of violent crime.
The belt and road summit will be the first such gathering in four years and follows the lifting of the country’s strict Covid controls at the start of the year. It is taking place amid heightened international tensions over issues such as Israel’s war against Hamas and the intense rivalry between China and the United States.
Is China’s Belt and Road Initiative running out of steam?
Is China’s Belt and Road Initiative running out of steam?
The foreign ministry in Beijing said more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been developed over the 10 years of the project’s existence.
