Arabs have been visiting Guangzhou to trade since the sixth century, but their growing presence in the city has unnerved authorities as the nation becomes increasingly edgy about the rise of terrorism in the region.
A diplomatic source said city authorities were concerned about the expanding population of people from the Middle East, following a huge influx in the past year. 'They are closely monitoring the situation and have stepped up security patrols,' he said.
Police and city officials swarm Guangta Road on Fridays to observe Muslims worshipping at the bigger of the city's two mosques.
Experts say China is an unlikely target of terrorist attacks. However, a bomb blast near a railway station last month, which went unreported, has put the city's security forces on a more vigilant watch. There are no details available about the blast, such as whether anyone has been arrested or whether there was a claim of responsibility.
Any serious attack in China, which backed the US-led war on terrorism but not the invasion of Iraq, would inevitably unleash a backlash against local Muslims, said Dru Gladney, a University of Hawaii professor who has spent years studying China's Muslim population.
Dr Gladney also said that it would be difficult for Islamic terrorists to hatch a plot in Guangzhou without support from Chinese Muslims, most of whom are Huis - descendants of earlier Muslim traders - who are not thought to support terrorism.