Society

China's first official VIP bodyguard service

By Zhang Jiawei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-04-11 15:35

China's inaugural official VIP private bodyguard service was unveiled to the public on Sunday, the first in an industry once deemed illegal and run in secret, Modern Express reported Monday.

The paper said the company, based in Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, was the first of its kind to get a certificate from the public security department to do business.

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Lv Wenqi, who was in charge of the company, said their team members consist mainly of retired soldiers, top students from martial art schools, Kung-fu champions and sports college graduates.

The members would recieve strict training after being hired by the company. They should not only be good at combat, but also at driving and etiquette.

"Though we are hired by individuals, we will never act as our employers' hatchet men. We have our own principles," Lv said, adding they should be called "special guards" who provide security consultation rather than "private body guards" which were not well reputed.

"The special guards will not work for whoever wants to pay, they have their choices," Lv said, stressing "the employers must have a legal businesses or identity."

Henan-based Dahe Daily said the company's clients will mostly be people in the entertainment industry, entrepreneurs and well-known people. And about 30 of the guards are female.

The most costly guard comes with a price tag of 300,000 yuan ($45,900) each year.