The 'hotpot' culture that gives Chongqing its murky image

It is Sunday afternoon in Chongqing's bustling central business district, which is buzzing with activity as shoppers, tourists and workers stroll past high-end shops circling the city's landmark Liberation Monument. Several policemen are busy tapping away at computers at an outdoor police kiosk, which is covered by a large umbrella and surrounded by several police cars and motorcycles. Policemen - red lights flashing from their white reflective vests - can be seen patrolling the streets in pairs, a rarity in mainland cities.

The beefed-up police presence is said to be the brainchild of Wang Lijun , the new no-nonsense police chief, who was brought here from Liaoning province by former boss and now Chongqing party secretary Bo Xilai . The kiosks, which were set up throughout the city several months ago, are the front line in the unprecedented campaign against crime that began 10 months ago, dubbed dahei, or 'strike black', a reference to the Chinese word for underworld crime, black societies.

Talk to the average person in Chongqing and the response is unanimous.

'Chongqing is a lot safer since Bo Xilai came,' Liu Ying, a medical doctor, says as she walks across a street.

'Things have got a lot better since Bo took charge,' a real estate salesman says. In the past there was a lot of petty crime and fights, and even public buses were controlled by gangs. 'That doesn't happen any more,' he says.

Catherine Chen, a local journalist, says: 'Now the police are at an accident scene within 10 minutes. I can see them everywhere on the street and I feel safer. More and more people are talking about this.'

The crackdown, which has netted more than 3,300 people so far, has seen dozens of officials sentenced to prison terms, the confiscation of thousands of weapons, and some nine death sentences passed. The focus has been on senior government officials in what is known as the gongjianfa system, which includes public security, the procuratorate and the court system.