30 September 2014 Last updated at 16:49 ET
Pro-democracy crowds have stayed on the streets of Hong Kong at the start of National Day – which activists hope will see the largest protests so far.
Tens of thousands of people have been blocking parts of the city for days.
They are demanding that China withdraw plans to vet candidates for the next leadership election in 2017.
Current leader CY Leung has urged the protesters to go home, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has reaffirmed Beijing’s influence on the territory.
On Tuesday Mr Xi told Communist Party leaders in Beijing that his government would “unswervingly implement the guidelines of ‘one country, two systems’ and the Basic Law, and steadfastly safeguard the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong and Macau”.
Mr Leung, Hong Kong’s chief executive, has rejected campaigners’ call for him to stand down.
He is due to attend a ceremony marking National Day, a public holiday that celebrates the founding of communist China in 1949.
The authorities have cancelled a fireworks display that was due to take place late on Wednesday.
Protesters take shelter under umbrellas from heavy rain in Hong Kong on 30 September
Heavy rain in Hong Kong late on Tuesday failed to dampen the protesters’ enthusiasm
Protest in Hong Kong on 1 October , 2014.
CY Leung has appealed to protesters to go home – but many say they are there for the long haul
The streets were relatively quiet on Tuesday but thousands flocked to the protest camps as night fell.
The demonstrators – who include students, supporters of the Occupy Central group and others angered by the police response – said they were confident that they would step up the protests on Wednesday.
“I think there will be a massive turnout, over 100,000 people tonight and leading into National Day,” Occupy Central activist Ed Chin told AFP news agency.
“We are not afraid of riot police…. We will not leave until Leung Chun-ying resigns,” student leader Lester Shum told the crowd.
The protests began at the weekend, and police responded with tear gas and pepper spray. Police later withdrew and protesters have remained calm.
