China launches 60th anniversary safety push

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-08 13:35

BEIJING: Anti-terror forces that safeguarded the Beijing Olympics last year are in action again as China has stepped up security ahead of its 60th anniversary of founding on October 1, an official said Friday, one year after the Games.

"A safe National Day is the key to the success of the anniversary," said Wang Anshun, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China Beijing Municipal Committee.

"Beijing will adopt the security model to ensure the absolute safety of the celebrations," he said.

Experts said the forces of safeguarding the anniversary activities should be stronger than during the Games as terrorist groups are also better equipped.

Unlike the Olympic events mostly held in venues, the celebrations including parade inspections and fireworks evening parties, occur outdoors, which make it more difficult to prevent terrorist attacks, said Cai Changjun, professor with the Institute of Special Police of China.

The major threats come from East Turkestan terrorists, Tibetan separatist forces as well as Falun Gong forces, said Li Wei, director of the anti-terrorism research center at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

Police did not reveal how many officers would be deployed in the safety campaign.

The Snow Leopard Commando Unit (SLCU), a major anti-terrorism wing of the People's Armed Police, and the Blue Sword Commando Unit (BSCU) under the Beijing armed police, are ready for security operations during the celebrations, said a Beijing armed police official.

The two highly-classified special police squads, with more than 400 officers, were dubbed as the protector of the Olympics for their roles in counter-terrorism, riot control and other special tasks, such as stopping hijacking and bomb disposal.

SLCU and BSCU participated in an anti-terrorism drill in June as the latest national level exercise ahead of the National Day in northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region's capital Hohhot, as well as Shanxi and Hebei provinces that surround Beijing.

The exercise, codenamed "Great Wall-6", aimed to improve the police forces' abilities to deal with bombs containing radioactive contaminants, serial terrorist attacks and blasts in chemical factories.

The Beijing police also held an exercise dubbed "Forbidden City" which tested the ability to rescue hostages and handle blasts.

"The anti-terror schemes are well-knit. We've made specific plans for commanding, force deployment and actions during the Beijing Olympics. All these can be used in the National Day celebrations, Cai said.

More exercises are needed to test the emergency response capacity and smooth the coordination among various forces, he said.

Police will strengthen baggage checks in subway stations, an anti-terror measure which started during Games.

Like the system during the Olympics, emergency police centers can mobilize helicopters and satellites to prevent and handle potential terror attacks, Wang said.

The equipment to deal with chemical weapons, monitoring system of suspected vehicles and air detection equipment that were developed during the Olympics have been used in daily checks, he said.

The capital also has mobilized hundreds of thousands of security personnel, Communist Party officials and volunteers patrolling the city to ensure a terrorism-free anniversary.

Fu Xinling, a volunteer who patrolled streets in Wanshou Road Community in Haidian District during the Olympics, is ready to wear the red armband again.

"We will go back to our posts again in a month to provide clues and information to the police," she said. "We will never allow the terrorists to damage our celebrations."

They read handbooks on Olympics security, which is also helpful in the 60th anniversary, said Cai Lianqi, a police officer in Wanshou Road Community. "The public is the backing of our security work."