Shenzhen's police authorities will take effective measures to further improve public security and order in the city, a spokesman of the municipal public security bureau said Thursday.

The bureau will launch a series of campaigns to crack down on crime syndicates in the city, including those monopolizing some business areas with the use of violence, said Yu Xingguo, the spokesman of the bureau, at a press conference during the annual session of the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress, which opened Wednesday and ends Sunday.

Leaders from Longgang and Bao'an districts and the municipal urban management bureau also attended the press conference. They jointly answered questions concerning public security, migrant workers, urban management, grass-roots management, and development plans in Longgang and Bao'an.

Public security

Besides organized crime, pickpockets on local buses will also be targeted, Yu said. By the end of this year, most of the city's buses and bus stations will be equipped with digital cameras. Policemen will also be deployed on buses.

Some 2,600 new policemen will be added to the city's police force by the end of this year, bringing the total number to 20,000, according to Yu.

In Bao'an, where the crime rate is higher than in other districts, more than 1 billion yuan (US$125 million) will be invested in additional facilities and staff, according to Li Wenlong, head of Bao'an district government.

“We have made many efforts to ensure good public security in Bao'an and last year the crime rate in the district was down by 40 percent,” said Li.

Migrant workers

The governments of Longgang and Bao'an districts, which are home to 8 million migrant workers, have worked out some measures to improve the living and working conditions of the migrants.

The two districts plan to set up a complete insurance system to cover medical treatment for workers.

Public dining halls will be built in industrial areas and available to 90 percent of the workers by the end of the year.

Dapeng Peninsula

Dapeng Peninsula, located in Longgang, was selected last year as one of the top 10 most beautiful coastlines in China by the country's most authoritative tourist magazine, the Journal of Chinese Geography. However, the area still remains economically backward.

According to Yu Weiliang, head of the district government, the peninsula will be built into a top-class tourist area with emphasis on its coastal scenery.

Starting this year, the Longgang government will invite plans and proposals for the area and seek strategic partners for investment.

The government will also improve infrastructure in the area by building more roads and tourist facilities.

Industrial structure

Even though it has a population of more than 5.8 million, or almost half of the total population in Shenzhen, Bao'an contributed only 20 percent of Shenzhen's revenue last year.

The imbalance is due to an unreasonable industrial structure consisting of labor-intensive firms, said Li Wenlong.

This structure has led to a population with low education, which causes many social problems, Li said.

Bao'an is going to adjust its industrial structure to gradually decrease the proportion of labor-intensive enterprises.

The high-tech, cultural, tourism and logistics industries will be given priorities in the district.

(Shenzhen Daily March 24, 2006)