China to recruit extra police for 2008
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-03-11 09:34

BEIJING (Reuters) -- China plans to recruit 2,000 extra police to ensure a safe 2008 Beijing Olympics, state media reported on Friday, adding to the martial arts, counter-terrorism and riot control experts it is already training.

"Beijing suffers a serious deficiency in police back-up. The additional recruitment has official ratification and will help ensure security during the Olympics," Qiang Wei, a deputy to China's parliament, was quoted as saying.

Qiang, who attended a security conference in Athens for the 2004 Olympics, said Beijing would have its security system in place by the end of this year and launch drills by 2007.

Keen to show it can host a world class event and protect the safety of the hundreds of thousands expected to attend, Beijing has already taken a series of measures to boost security, including a high-tech facial recognition system to be installed at the gates of Olympic venues.

China has not been the focus of terror groups but it was embarrassed by riots after its football team was beaten by Japan in the finals of the 2004 Asian Cup, spurring angry Chinese fans to hurl bottles and burn Japanese flags.

The Communist country is on alert for domestic sources of unrest that could disrupt the Games, from angry petitioners from the countryside to activists seeking independence for Tibet.