A monitoring system comprising 200,000 surveillance cameras covering the whole of Shenzhen was put into use Tuesday, Chinese-language media reports said, citing an official with the municipal public security bureau.

Some 100,000 cameras, or half of the total network, have been installed in Bao'an and Longgang districts, said Shen Shaobao, spokesman and deputy bureau chief, at a press conference Tuesday.

Shen said the introduction of such a wide-ranging monitoring system, the coverage of which ranges from main roads and busy commercial hubs to the remotest corners of far-flung areas, will greatly improve public security.

Bao'an and Longgang, the two largest districts of Shenzhen in terms of area, have long been hotbeds of minor crimes such as theft and pickpocketing. The two districts, located outside the special economic zone (SEZ), are home to most of the city's manufacturing industry and accommodate a large number of migrant laborers.

The police presence in Bao'an and Longgang is relatively low compared to their population and sizes, making it easier for criminals there to get away with their wrongdoings. The official said the network of cameras would change that, as it would be similar to a 24-hour police force patrolling every neighborhood.

The cameras, financed by the city and district governments, are mainly of three kinds. The cameras installed on the city's main avenues like Shennan Thoroughfare, and busy commercial areas like Huaqiangbei and Dongmen pedestrian streets can rotate 360 degrees. They are directly connected to the command center of the municipal public security bureau, which enables the center to dispatch policemen as soon as they see anything suspicious.

The cameras installed in subdistricts and residential areas are connected to the neighborhood police stations. The remaining cameras will store images but not transmit them.

All the images recorded will be saved for at least 30 days in the network's archive.

Shen said the next priority of the police is to extend the network to cover banks and financial institutions, as well as accident-prone parts of the city's expressways.

(Shenzhen Daily March 22, 2007)