The clampdown on organised crime in Chongqing has earned praise from the country's top law- enforcement official, according to state media.
The endorsement by Zhou Yongkang, a member of the top decision-making Politburo Standing Committee and the highest ranking official in charge of law enforcement, was reported yesterday by the Chongqing Daily.
His comments were conveyed by Zhang Xuan, the Communist Party deputy secretary of Chongqing, in a briefing with local business leaders and representatives outside the Communist Party.
In the mainland's political culture, Zhou's statement is a vote of confidence for Bo Xilai, the party chief of the municipality who ordered the crackdown in June.
Police operations have so far brought down at least 14 triad bosses and hundreds of gangsters, and exposed officials who had connections with illegal activities.
According to Zhang, Zhou said on September 25 that the 'crackdown on and uprooting triad forces is a project that boasts popular support from the general public and enables them to lead safe and stable lives'.
'Under the leadership of Chongqing municipal party committee and government, the law-enforcement department has recently intensified its efforts [in the clampdown], and had remarkable success. This is good ... for the civilians,' Zhang quoted Zhou as saying on another occasion.