State Councilor Zhou Yongkang on Friday urged public security authorities to strengthen work at grassroots level and ensure tight security at major events this year.

"The ability to enforce laws and serve the people at grassroots public security departments needs to improve," Zhou told a national work conference attended by public security authorities across the country.

"We must improve our work and get ready for the 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Olympic Games," he said.

He called on officials to offer more support in terms of finance and personnel to policemen at grassroots level.

He also urged leading officials to improve work plans and make sure the plans are fully implemented.

(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2007)