China's gun crimes plunge in 2013

BEIJING -- Gun crimes and bombings reported in China between January and October 2013 dropped by 44.9 and 36.2 percent respectively year on year, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Figures released Friday by the ministry show that the total criminal cases reported during the period saw a slight decrease of 1.7 percent year on year, with cases of severe violence down by 10.7 percent.

According to the ministry, the figures came after a series of security campaigns initiated by the ministry last year. Among them was a crackdown on online gun trade, which led to the deletion of 108,000 gun and bomb-related posts as well as 1,233 illegal websites.

Police have also been enhancing their front-line forces as police members at local-level police stations reached 556,000 by the end of last October, up 21,000 from the previous year.

Cases of theft and robbery in residential communities were down by 5.9 percent and 20.1 percent respectively, the ministry added.