Police in southern China told to crack down on ‘violent and terrorist activities’
- Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi tells officers in province that borders Hong Kong to ‘be on high alert for subversive infiltration’
- He also urges them to safeguard country’s ‘southern gate’ ahead of 70th anniversary of founding of the People’s Republic of China
China’s Public Security Minister Zhao Kezhi has urged the country’s police to be more vigilant and crack down on any “violent and terrorist activities” during a visit to southern Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong.
Inspecting a police station in Guangzhou on Monday, Zhao, who is also a state councillor, told officers they must do an “excellent job” to maintain security and stability ahead of the 70th anniversary of the country’s founding on October 1.
“[You] must have a clear understanding of the current situation, risks and challenges, and be on high alert for all kinds of subversive infiltration and sabotage activities, and resolutely crack down on all violent and terrorist activities,” Zhao told police officers, according to a statement on the ministry’s website.
“[You] must do an excellent job in safeguarding our ‘southern gate’ and ensuring the political security of our country,” he said.
The police chief also stressed the importance of intelligence gathering, calling on officers to improve their operations and ability to respond to emergencies.
“[You] must stick to the highest standards of measures to improve intelligence analysis and early warning, integrated prevention and contingency management, to ensure the timely, efficient and proper handling of all emergencies,” he said.
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Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based political commentator, said Zhao’s visit was a reminder for law enforcement officers in Guangdong to keep up their guard and prevent the unrest in Hong Kong from spreading to the mainland province.
“The authorities don’t want any unrest during the celebration of the 70th anniversary [of the People’s Republic of China] in Hong Kong, and of course they would not want to have Hong Kong protesters coming over to the mainland to demonstrate,” Zhang said. “They want to nip any possible trouble in the bud.”
Zhang also noted that there were stricter controls on the border between the mainland and Hong Kong, with officers searching for anti-government materials.
