Don't Fly Your Small Aircraft During Beijing's 'Two Meetings' (and Other Inconveniences)

With the approach of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and the National People's Congress (NPC) this month, the government is issuing regulations and temporary restrictions on some activities, including the flying of small aircraft around Beijing. 

Beginning Wednesday (Mar 1) and until the conclusion of the "Two Meetings" on March 16, "gliders, unmanned aerial vehicles, delta-wing aircraft, hot-air balloons, and model airplanes, are all prohibited from being flown in, wait for it, a 200-kilometer radius of Tiananmen Square. In other words, if you live in Tianjin and want to fly a motorized model airplane with your favorite child, well, you'd better postpone those plans until St. Patrick's Day. That glider? Better keep it in the hangar until then too. 

The "Two Meetings" are China's highest-level annual legislative sessions. While the CPPCC is largely ceremonial, the NPC handles most of the year's most important legislative matters. Representatives come from around China to attend. The CPPCC is held at the  Zhengxie Litang on Taipingqiao Dajie in Xicheng District; the NPC takes place at the Great Hall of the People, on the west side of Tiananmen Square. 

Also banned are kongming lanterns, the miniature hot air balloons used to make wishes, due to fire risk, although that prohibition goes back to 2014. Maybe local aviation officials saw The Great Wall and how balloons were used in that film and thought, no way. 

Given the increased security around the capital during this period, now is a good time to start carrying your passport (as well as dog licenses and driver licenses) or a really clear copy of it with you again, and to allow more time to move around the city, especially on surface roads, as traffic restrictions can cause delays. You can also expect a general tampdown on nightlife and large-scale entertainment events.

Photo: The Japan Times