BBC Monitoring Story: Chinese circular on increased security until mid-2003 reported

According to BBC Monitoring report on September 7, a Chinese Communist Party Political Bureau circular was officially circulated on 19 August designating the period until the end of June 2003 a 'political trouble' period, the Hong Kong publication Cheng Ming has said. The circular called for security and vigilance to be stepped up over the periods of the 16th National Party Congress, the 10th National People's Congress and the 10th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference sessions. It outlined existing areas of hostility and potential sources of political turmoil.

According to BBC Monitoring's reprint of an article by reporter Lo Ping entitled: 'The period before and after the 16th National Party Congress has been designated as 'a political trouble period' ' published by Hong Kong magazine Cheng Ming on 1 September, the Chinese Communists have designated a period of more than 10 months, from now to the end of June next year, as 'a political trouble period', namely 'a period of martial law' in disguise. In Beijing and Shanghai second-grade security is in effect, while in Tianjin, Chongqing, Guangzhou, and Shenyang, third-grade security is being enforced.