Society

Beijing beefs up airport security

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-01-25 16:24

BEIJING - Chinese police tightened security at Beijing International Airport Tuesday after a bomb attack killed 35 and injured some 150 at Moscow's Domodedovo airport Monday.

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More police dogs have been deployed at key areas at the airport, including luggage claim points, check-in counters and departure and arrival halls.

Police are keeping a close eye on surveillance cameras and monitoring the flow of passengers around the clock, an airport police officer told Xinhua.

More plain-clothes police are on patrol, too, Hu Jinhui, a senior official with the Beijing International Airport Police Bureau, said.

"We ordered tighter security overnight to make sure the capital's airport is safe during the Chinese New Year travel period," Hu said.

Police at the airport were already on high alert amid the annual rush of travelers ahead of the Chinese New Year, which falls on February 3 this year.

About 208,000 travelers are expected to arrive at Beijing International Airport every day during the Chinese New Year travel season, from January 19 to February 27.

Passengers said it took longer to board planes at Beijing airport Tuesday but that the tightened security measures did not cause noticeable inconvenience.

"We waited half an hour in the plane before we were allowed to disembark. It is okay if the delay was for security reasons," said Zhuang Zenan, a business traveler arriving from east China's Hangzhou City.

China has condemned the Moscow airport bombing and offered its condolences to the victims.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said China supports the Russian government measures taken against terrorism.