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After Beijing, cities beef up anti-terrorism
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EVERY morning, 73-year-old Wang Xiu strolls down a street of about 500 meters in Beijing’s Sanlitun area, wearing a red arm band that says “Beijing Volunteers.” Her old pal takes the afternoon shift.
Since the end of May, the retired factory manager became one of the 850,000 Beijing Volunteers, also known as anti-terrorism volunteers, who assist authorities in spotting and reporting suspicious acts. Wang has her own tricks on how to pick out strange happenings and behaviors. If she finds anything unusual, she is to report to a community office and police, who will follow up.
“I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and I’ve volunteered for the community security before, mainly for thieves, robbers or those who post illegitimate advertisements on the walls,” she tells Shanghai Daily. “Thieves or terrorists, I can tell a face that hasn’t been shown here and I can tell a bad guy. They always act furtively.”
The capital’s anti-terrorism network is also composed of nearly 100,000 small vendors who will receive cash awards if they report useful information in taking down terrorists.
“All countries are disadvantaged when facing terrorists, who are in the dark. Globally, the US is most experienced in anti-terrorism campaigns and they have long launched such programs that encourage every citizen to report potential terrorism acts,” says Zhao Gancheng, senior fellow and director for the Center of Asia Pacific Studies at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies.
“China is experienced in national campaigns, and it is important not to step over the line to a controversial level of surveillance like the US.”
Following the capital, Chinese cities, towns and villages have also been upgrading anti-terrorism practices in recent months. Last month, the People’s Public Security University of China announced its recruiting plan, which includes an anti-terrorism major for the first time.
“The frequency and intensity of terrorist attacks are on the rise in the recent two to three years. Attacks have also been expanded regionally,” says Zhao.
“The reasons are both domestic and international. Domestic terrorists are better connected with international extremists. The intensified patrols and campaigns should become regular practices rather than temporary measures.”
It was only in recent years that terrorist attacks were treated separately from other actions like drug trafficking and murder. China is yet to enact an anti-terrorism law, and courts are equipped now to deal with criminal law. The cross-department National Security Commission of the Communist Party of China was founded last November, headed by President Xi Jinping, which brings public security, armed police, justice, national security, military forces and foreign ministry departments all under a single umbrella.
All of a sudden, what used to be foreign news seems to be relevant to every Chinese individual.
It was reported early in the week that a total of 32 terror gangs were busted, more than 380 suspects apprehended and 315 people sentenced by the courts in the first month of an anti-terror campaign in northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Before that, 13 people were executed for organizing, leading and taking part in terrorist groups, murder, arson, theft and the illegal manufacture, storage and transportation of explosives in Aksu, Turpan and Hotan prefectures.
Three people were sentenced to death for an attack in Beijing’s Tian’anmen Square in October last year.
Locally in Shanghai, police have been asked to patrol with guns. SWAT teams have been seen more frequently on the streets since May.
“As a special force in the police department, we spend most of the time training so that we can be ready for those few hours, or even minutes or seconds, to deal with emergencies,” says Yang Zhongxian, head of the Minhang District SWAT team.
“Over the years, we have upgraded equipment, and we have developed targeted anti-terrorism training based on Shanghai’s special features.”
Task force members, grouped in five or 10, are equipped with vests, guns, knives and helmets of over 10 kilograms when on mission. To cope with the city features of Shanghai, they specialize in rope-climbing that help them deal with emergencies in tall buildings.
“Speed is key,” Yang says. “We train ourselves in all measures to be faster to help.”
Q&A with Zhao Gancheng
Q: There have been more intensified and frequent patrols on the street. What do you think?
A: This should be a permanent structure rather than an emergent measure. It is necessary to have increased presence of armed policemen patrolling in public places in order to prevent terrorist attacks and to protect the people.
Q: What’s the reason behind increasing terrorist attacks in China?
A: It has been increasing in the recent two to three years. Domestically, extremists have expanded their activities and held secret training camps that brainwashed children and young people. They have also been in contact with international terrorists, whose activities have also been on the rise. The Chinese government has been working with other countries to crack down on terrorist groups, but it has not been easy.
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