China orders authorities to strengthen security in the wake of attacks blamed on Uygur militants
State Council directive includes orders to increase number of surveillance cameras and to ramp up level of patrols by armed police
China’s government has issued orders to improve security in public places in the wake of a series of violent attacks the authorities have blamed on Muslim militants from the Xinjiang region.
The orders from the State Council include increasing the network of surveillance cameras in public areas and setting up more joint patrols between the police and the People’s Armed Police, a force regularly deployed to quell riots and to react to emergencies and terrorist incidents.
The violent attacks in China in recent months included the killing of 31 people by knife-wielding assailants at Kunming railway station in March last year. Three men have been executed for their part in organising the attack.
The State Council directive said its aim was “strengthening the prevention and control system of public security”.
The authorities around the country have been ordered to improve security on public transport and at airports, railway stations, on subway systems and at ports.
The government has also demanded public security is strengthened at kindergartens, schools, hospitals and commercial areas.
There have been a series of attacks targeted at schools in China in recent years, usually by people bearing a grudge against the authorities.
