China's military is capable of defeating any terrorist attempt during the Beijing Olympic Games, a senior People's Liberation Army (PLA) officer said?in Beijing?Friday.
Senior Col. Tian Yixiang, director of the military affairs department under the Security Command Center for the Games of the 29th Olympiad, made the remarks at a press conference held by the Defense Ministry at a military barrack on the suburbs of Beijing.
"Through our strong intelligence agencies and close cooperation with foreign intelligence agencies, we have already obtained information about some terrorist activities," said Tian, who is also chief of the emergency management office of the operations department of the General Staff Headquarters of the PLA. He did not elaborate.
Tian said the main security threats come from the East Turkistan Islamic Movement, separatist forces for "Tibet independence", the Falungong cult and pro-democracy activists.
"These forces have been disturbing and sabotaging preparations for the Beijing Olympic Games," he said.
More than 34,000 military personnel with 74 planes, 47 helicopters and 33 naval ships have been deployed to ensure security, according to Tian.
Surface-to-air missiles, radar and anti-chemical equipment are also in position.
The military's participation in Olympics security work conformed to international practice and Chinese law, according to Tian.
Beijing has deployed nearly 110,000 personnel including police, PLA troops and volunteers to ensure the security of the Games.
Special forces such as an army air unit, an engineering force and chemical defense troops will join the mission.
Combat aircraft, helicopters, warships, missiles, chemical defense equipment and radar would be used in case of security threats.
"The scale of security personnel for the Beijing Games and the technology applied in the security work are in line with international practices and in accordance with the requirements of the International Olympic Committee," said Li Wei, director of the Anti-terrorism center at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
The news conference was held at the Sixth Armored Division of the Beijing Military Command in the northern Beijing suburbs as the PLA marked its 81st anniversary.
More than 100 journalists, including 48 foreign reporters, visited the division, one of China's elite land forces, on Friday morning.
This is the first time the Defense Ministry was holding a news conference in the barracks.
(Xinhua News Agency August 1, 2008)