Their job is to ensure the safety of APEC summit participants, including US President George W. Bush, while Washington and the inter-national community plot a campaign against terrorism.

Two weeks after suicide pilots flew hijacked jetliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, planners for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation organization's leaders summit say they've beefed up security to ensure a safe and productive meeting. The fight against terrorism, in fact, has been added as a discussion topic for the forum.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhu Bangzao told a news conference in Beijing yesterday that the APEC leaders summit will "show its concern about terrorism in a proper form."

Meanwhile in Shanghai, Yang Guoqiang, chief executive of the local APEC Preparatory Office, told reporters that terrorists would find this city to be a most difficult place to strike.

"We will keep a close watch to ward off any potential risks," Yang said.

He declined to provide details, other than to say, "watchdogs will be everywhere."

The Ministry of Public Security and the Shanghai Public Security Bureau are responsible for ensuring safety at the heads-of-state session on October 20 and 21, at an APEC foreign ministers and trade ministers meeting on October 17 and 18, and at a chief executives summit from October 18 to 20.

More than 10,000 delegates will gather here, along with about 4,000 journalists from home and abroad.

A news center located in the landmark Oriental Pearl Broadcasting & Television Tower and covering a total of 16,500 square meters will start operations on October 14.

Yang told reporters that China is confident that it can ensure a safe series of meetings.

So far, none of the leaders or delegations scheduled to attend have canceled because of security concerns.

And so far, "not a single piece of information shows that terrorists are sneaking to Shanghai at that time," Yang told reporters.

Honing their readiness, Huangpu District police conducted a drill on Friday to test their ability to respond to trouble. After receiving a mock 110 emergency call that a bank robber was holed up at a construction site on Doushi Road, police dispatched special troops to the area. Officers called for the bandit to surrender as they deployed their forces.

When he refused, a police marksman "shot down" the suspect.

In addition to security and transportation, city government says it is putting special emphasis on providing good support services such as fast Internet access and a hot line (82001) set up to inform the public about the meetings.

To avoid traffic problems during the meetings, most of Shanghai's citizens will be off work between October 17 and 21.

eastday.com.cn 09/26/2001