Securing the safety of China's showcase

These security troops outside a soccer venue are part of a much larger number deployed throughout Guangzhou and surrounding areas to ensure the safety of the 16th Asian Games. Provided to China Daily

GUANGZHOU - Up to 100,000 security personnel were deployed for the Nov 12 opening ceremony of the Guangzhou Asian Games, a local police chief revealed on Thursday.

"Nearly 40,000 security personnel were deployed at and around the site of the spectacular opening ceremony, and another 60,000 police officers, joined by military air units, were on duty across the province to ensure the safety of the event," He Guangping, deputy director of the Guangdong provincial public security department, said at a press conference.

He said the opening ceremony, which wowed a global audience with its eye-popping creativity, posed unprecedented security challenges - including being staged on a tiny island in the middle of the Pearl River and having the athletes arrive by boat.

As well, a record quantity of fireworks and incorporating the 600-meter landmark Guangzhou Tower into the festivities were major security concerns, along with the massive crowd of spectators lining the banks of the river.

"Despite the unprecedented challenges, there have so far been no major security incidents at these games, thanks to arduous preparation," He said.

Hu Zejun, security chief for the games, vowed to continue the vigilance.

"We are constantly assessing the threat of terrorism and are fully prepared to deal with it," Hu said.

Meanwhile, security forces have checked all the games venues to get rid of potential fire hazards in the wake of a high-rise inferno that killed 53 people in Shanghai this week.

More than 600 firefighting experts have been dispatched to the venues and surrounding residential areas, and all workers at the venues have received training in fire prevention and suppression.

Li Dongsheng, head of the games security coordination group and a member of the Party committee of the Public Security Ministry, reviewed the firefighting force on Tuesday.

In April, the provincial police force launched a campaign for games security that saw more than 800,000 non-police personnel mobilized, He said.

A total of 128 checkpoints were established in surrounding cities and venues, manned by more than 3,600 police and 7,400 non-police security personnel. As of Tuesday, the checkpoints had turned up 1,740 criminal suspects, 207 wanted people, 1.98 million fireworks and 64,981 kg of hazardous chemicals.

Nuclear and chemical monitoring equipment and handling troops are also in place at the games venues. Emergency units are deployed and have conducted anti-terrorism and anti-hijacking drills.

China Daily