Xi vows punishment on terrorists

BEIJING - Chinese president Xi Jinping has urged the law enforcement to investigate and solve the case of Kunming terrorist attack with all-out efforts and punish the terrorists in accordance with the law.

More than 10 terrorist suspects attacked people at the square and ticket hall of Kunming Railway Station at 9:20 p.m. on Saturday, killing at least 29 civilians and injuring 130 others.

Police shot dead five attackers and are hunting for the rest.

Xi stressed the careful rescue and treatment of injured civilians and proper handling of the dead.

He ordered relevant parties to firmly suppress terrorists' rampant momentum, be fully aware of the grave and complex anti-terrorism situation and strengthen bottomline thinking.

The president, also head of China's national security commission, asked law enforcement to crack down on violent terrorist activities in all forms, safeguard social stability and guarantee the safety of people's lives and property.

Xi has assigned officials, including Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Guo Shengkun, Chinese state councilor and minister of public security, to go to Yunnan to guide work and visit injured civilians and relatives of the victims.

Premier Li Keqiang asked local authorities to chase and punish the suspects severely, and public security departments at all levels to strengthen prevention and control measures to guarantee the safety of public places.

Local officials rushed to the scene to organize and direct the follow-up work.

The treatment of the injured civilians and case investigation are underway.

Police cardon off a site of an attack at a railway station in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province, March 1, 2014. [Photo by Xue Dan/chinadaily.com.cn]