Colombian police have stepped up security measures in the northern city of Cartagena de India on Friday for the visit of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, a senior police official said.

Colonel Carlos Mena, commander of the Metropolitan Police of Cartagena, confirmed that protection mechanisms would be set in motion in the coming hours for Xi's visit.

Xi will arrive in Colombia from Jamaica on Saturday for a four-day official visit, during which he will meet Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and his counterpart Francisco Santos.

(Xinhua News Agency Feburary 14, 2009)