【Epoch Times, November 12, 2025】Beijing’s Tiananmen Square has long been seen as the focal point of political power and authority for the Chinese Communist Party. According to multiple informed sources, there are over a thousand police officers stationed at the square and its surrounding areas on a daily basis, with the vast majority of them in plainclothes, responsible for maintaining order and preventing sudden incidents. While authorities emphasize the absence of security threats, the high-density security measures in the heart of the capital serve as a microcosm for observing the current state of public space governance in China.
Tiananmen Square is located on the central axis of Chang’an Street, bordered by the museum to the east, the Great Hall to the west, with views of Tiananmen Gate and Zhongnanhai to the north, and stretching to Zhengyang Gate’s arrow tower to the south. There are multiple security checkpoints and fences surrounding the square, requiring advance online reservations and multiple verifications for entry and exit. A resident living in Dashafang told reporters that even late at night, patrols and police changing shifts can be seen.
Every morning, the flag-raising ceremony at the square attracts a large number of tourists. A resident near the square, Lao Li, told reporters that most of these tourists are pre-arranged individuals, not ordinary people, and are instructed not to hold banners or signs, even if it says “Long live the motherland.” He added that if you were to try and raise a banner saying “Support the Communist Party, Long live the motherland” on the square, plainclothes officers nearby would immediately take you away.
Police and armed police set up security lines along the roads to maintain order. According to informed sources, the security personnel here include not only uniformed officers but also plainclothes and special task force members, some disguised as tourists, photographers, or cleaners, totaling over a thousand who patrol in a dispersed manner within the crowd. Witnesses mentioned that the cleaners on the square all carry out specific tasks and must report any abnormal behavior observed from visitors.
An individual familiar with the public security system informed reporters that the security forces at Tiananmen Square mainly consist of personnel from the Tiananmen Sub-bureau, the Beijing Armed Police Corps, and the Zhongnanhai Security Guard. Each unit is responsible for different areas, conducting round-the-clock patrols and video surveillance. He revealed that if any abnormal behavior occurs on the square, on-duty personnel must arrive at the scene within five seconds to control the situation.
A resident of Shibei Hutong near Tiananmen, Lao Liu, told reporters that police officers at every intersection leading to the square carry identity verification equipment to check the credentials of individuals entering. Ten years ago, no credentials were needed to enter the square, but now reservations and security checks are mandatory. “Almost no one from Beijing goes there now; it’s mostly out-of-town tourists,” Lao Liu remarked.
Lao Liu further commented, “So many checks just to go there. The police glance at my ID, see that I live nearby, and suspect that I’m too familiar with the square. They wonder why I’m there to join the commotion, thinking that I intend to cause trouble. I haven’t been to the square in almost twenty years.”
The name Shibei Hutong can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty. According to the “Shunting Fu Zhi,” the area around Shibei Hutong was originally the site of the Ming Dynasty’s old Jin Yiwei yamen, where a stone monument once stood inscribed with the names of commanding officers and centurions. Despite the monument being destroyed by fire, the place is still colloquially referred to as “Shibei,” a name retained to this day.
Another informant mentioned that on the north side of the square, near Zhongnanhai, there are multiple layers of guard posts, with security personnel and armed police responsible for inner and outer patrols. Plainclothes officers are dispersed along both sides of Chang’an Street and at subway station entrances to promptly respond to any emergent situations. He noted that at the junction of Nanchizi and Nanchang Streets, many individuals seen taking photos are actually plainclothes police officers, and surveillance cameras are scattered throughout.
Despite the strict control measures implemented at Tiananmen Square by the authorities, it is reported that people still distribute flyers at the square every month, only to be swiftly apprehended thereafter. Over ninety percent of these individuals are petitioners who seek redress for grievances, hoping to attract central government attention and are unafraid of being detained.
Mr. Wang, who pays close attention to Chinese society and public security, told reporters that the tight security measures at Tiananmen Square reflect the current state of stability in China’s political core area. However, in recent years, the boundary between security maintenance and social monitoring has become increasingly blurred, leading to the gradual institutionalized management of public spaces. Many people feel they are being watched by an invisible eye while at the square. Recalling an incident, Wang mentioned being stopped by five to six police officers and having his bags searched while walking from Dongdan to Xidan, passing through Tiananmen Square.
In recent years, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Department has implemented the “Integrated Security Control in Core Areas” plan, installing high-resolution surveillance cameras and behavior recognition systems inside and outside the square to dynamically monitor and alert authorities to crowd movements. During major holidays, temporary law enforcement numbers can exceed three thousand. Residents have acknowledged that while order is well-maintained on-site, the atmosphere is tense, and speaking too loudly can attract scrutiny.
Since its expansion in the 1950s, Tiananmen Square has witnessed numerous political and social events. In the early stages of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Red Guards congregated at the square for pledges. On Qingming Festival in 1976, citizens of Beijing gathered at the square to mourn Zhou Enlai, sparking the “April Fifth Movement.” During the spring of 1989, students and civilians staged a sit-in protest at the square, only to be forcefully suppressed by the military in early June, culminating in the shocking events of the Tiananmen Square protests. Over the past fifteen years, the square’s security and control system has undergone comprehensive upgrades.
In October 2013, a sports utility vehicle crashed into tourists near Jinshui Bridge and caught fire. The vehicle carried multiple Uighur individuals and gasoline, resulting in numerous casualties. The incident was later classified as a “terrorist attack” by officials. Subsequently, Beijing further strengthened security measures at Tiananmen Square and Chang’an Street, introducing additional high-altitude surveillance and special police patrols. Since 2020, reservations, real-name registration, and facial recognition gates are required for entry into the square. According to announcements by the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, these measures are in place to “ensure security and stability in core areas.”
Scholars point out that the changes at Tiananmen Square reflect China’s security-oriented urban governance. The Chinese authorities prioritize stability as a central indicator, while personal freedoms and public participation are relegated to secondary positions. A researcher from Beijing remarked to reporters that Tiananmen Square serves as both a political security symbol and a mirror reflecting China’s monitoring practices.
Commentators argue that the deployment of security forces at the square has transcended mere maintenance of public order, embodying a concrete manifestation of the political stability system. The Chinese authorities mobilize a significant number of covert security personnel and surveillance resources in public places, maintaining order while simultaneously eroding freedom. A sociologist mentioned to reporters that the vigilance structure at Tiananmen reflects the sensitivity and precaution of the center of power, where “the more they fear instability, the more they need to control every action, even if it’s just raising a piece of paper.”