100,000 armed police on patrol for festival

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-27 14:34

BEIJING -- The Chinese People's Armed Police Corps (PAPC) had 100,000 officers guarding public places or on patrol nationwide on Lunar New Year's Eve, PAPC sources said.

A paramilitary policeman stands in front of rows of red lanterns during a show celebrating Chinese New Year at Lianhuachi Temple Fair in Beijing January 26, 2009. The Chinese People's Armed Police Corps (PAPC) had 100,000 officers guarding public places or on patrol nationwide on Lunar New Year's Eve, PAPC sources said. [Agencies]

On Sunday, 5,300 armed police were stationed at 79 rail stations, 18 bus terminals and five airports, while more than 8,800 armed police were on the street in 147 mid-sized and large cities.

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State Councilor Meng Jianzhu, who is also minister of public security and first political commissar of the PAPC, visited PAPC posts and civilian police offices to offer holiday greetings.

The minister was told that no major crimes were reported here in the capital Sunday night.

On the same day, PAPC Political Commissar Yu Linxiang inspected armed police units on site in Qinghai, Sichuan and Jiangxi provinces and Tibet Autonomous Region, and PAPC Commander Wu Shuangzhan talked with border police on guard in remote Heilongjiang and Qinghai provinces and Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet autonomous regions.

More than 1,000 armed police were sent to fight forest fires in Shanxi, Shandong, Sichuan and Guangdong provinces.

Spring Festival, the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year, falls on January 26 this year. The festival is the biggest family reunion time of the year.