I popped out just a few minutes ago to the convenience store to get a bottle of water, and saw a convoy of tanks roll by right beside the second ring road.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me, so I didn’t get any pictures. The streets had been cleared of traffic beforehand, and the tanks badly disguised. Some sort of square, boxy tarp had been set up with clear plastic “windows” in front so the driver could see. However, the driver was definitely encased inside the front of a tank. Also, underneath the “skirt” of the covering were tank caterpillar treads.

Three of them rolled by today. A source who works nearby told me that the same thing had happened several days ago—only it was 7 or 8 tanks then.

Where the final destination for those tanks is, I can’t imagine—but they were heading towards city center. Perhaps Tiananmen Square? I last saw the tanks heading north towards Fuxingmen, which is a straight shot to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the events of 1989—perhaps the government is preparing early for any possible trouble? I can think of few other reasons why at least 3 tank platoons would be deployed in the center of Beijing.