Footage has emerged of hundreds of commuters stranded on the Beijing subway during the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party as a result of tightened security.

The video, shot on October 16, shows passengers at a standstill and huge crowds outside a station hall in Beijing's Changping District.

According to local reports, stricter new security checks have been initiated throughout the whole country during the congress, especially in the capital.

The Beijing Metro announced that all passengers would have to go through full-body checks and have their belongings scanned from October 17.

Commuters were stranded for up to an hour during peak times, local reports said.

The ruling Communist Party's congress takes place every five years. It is the first one presided over by President Xi Jinping.