Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Meng Jianzhu, Minister of the Public Security, also underlined in July that the security work for the Olympics is in a key phase, and the public should be mobilized to contribute to the security of the Games.

Beijing 2008 Security logo

China is not just paying lip service to security, as measures to ward off threats could be easily seen in Beijing and other Olympic cities.

"Painstaking efforts have been made to strengthen community patrols, crack down on various criminal activities, tighten management of dangerous goods and deploy security personnel in crucial Olympic sites," Liu Shaowu, director of the Olympics organizing body's security department told a press conference on Wednesday. "It's all an unprecedented effort to eliminate potential safety hazards in a timely manner," he said.

Fences now encircle all Olympic venues, the Olympic Village and the Olympic headquarters hotels. Monitoring and alarm facilities have been installed with personnel and vehicle security checkpoints set up.

The city launched on June 29 security checks on passengers taking the subway, Beijing's most widely used transportation. As of July 13, police had detained 39 people who brought prohibited knives into subways.

"It's a bit chaotic when you have to undergo subway security checks during rush hours," said Li Su, who works at an accounting company.

"Every computer bag and briefcase has to be X-rayed, creating a huge queue around the security check machine. But personally I think it's worth it. Better safe than late, I guess," he said.

Special security checks are also carried out in post offices, airports, bus terminals and rail stations around the country.

Armed police with dogs began round the clock patrols on Monday at the capital's four railway stations, including a new one in the southern district that hasn't yet opened.

At the Beijing West Railway Station, a major terminal, passengers are asked to taste any liquids they carry or put a sealed one under a special detector handset to identify its contents.

At each entrance to the station, six officers carry out security checks. And at baggage facilities, every piece of left baggage must be X-rayed and banned substances like banana oil and paint must be taken out.

All checked luggage would also be X-rayed and checked by police dogs, according to the railway police.