Beijing is preparing to manipulate the weather to ensure that it does not rain on its National Day parade on Oct 1.

Zhang Qiang, deputy director of the Beijing Weather Modification Office, told China Daily that "artificial rain reduction" measures were in place for the National Day celebration, during which President Hu Jintao will give a speech and the military will parade past the Tian'anmen Square.

Similar moves were taken during the Beijing Olympic Games last year, when meteorological workers fired 1,104 rain dispersal rockets from 21 sites in the capital on the eve of the opening ceremony, which prevented a rain belt from moving toward the stadium.