Congress of Communist Party of China

China's ruling communist elite began a closed-door meeting on Nov. 8 to finalize preparations for a painstakingly choreographed but still fraught transfer of power to a younger generation of leaders. The meeting of the policy-setting Central Committee is its last before the Communist Party leadership will begin to hand over power to younger colleagues in a once-a-decade political transition.

Beijing is tightening security as its all-important Communist Party congress approaches, and some of the measures seem bizarre. Most of the security measures were implemented in time for opening of a meeting of the Central Committee.