100,000 University Students Drill in Summer Heat in Preparation for 60th Anniversary of PRC Founding

By chinafreepress.org (translation)
Aug 17, 2009 – 10:41:05 AM

Boxun reports that as the October 1 60th anniversary of the founding of the PRC rapidly approaches, Beijing’s summer temperatures have broken 60 year records for heat and humidity. In spite of the heat students are drilling outdoors every day in order to be ready for the festivities. A feature will be choreographed mass performances on Tiananmen Square, which can accommodate more than one million people.

Each university student receives a daily stipend of 25 yuan (US$3.50). But if they are eliminated through competition then they join the masses’ performance and their stipend amount is reduced.

More than 100,000 university students are taking part in the performance, making it bigger than the annual choreographed mass university “games” in North Korea and the biggest choreographed mass performance in the world. This must surely have earned the respect of Kim Jong-il.

Full Chinese report: http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2009/08/200908161950.shtml