The Ministry of Public Security reiterated that it supports the legal use of firearms by authorized police officers to shoot and kill criminals when their lives, or the lives of the public, are seriously threatened.

"Police officers are legally entitled to use guns," said ministry spokesman Wu Heping at a regular press briefing yesterday in Beijing.

He made his remark in response to a statement made by Zhang Guifang, deputy Party secretary of Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province.

At a meeting on the city's public security situation last Tuesday, Zhang urged police officers, "not to be afraid of shooting criminals when their lives or the lives of ordinary people are seriously threatened. Otherwise it would be deplorable for the Chinese police force," he said.

Wu stressed that the legal use of firearms by police officers was supported in Criminal Law.

He said confrontations between police and criminals have been escalating in recent years as society underwent significant changes.

"Police officers often encounter great dangers in face-to-face situations and the use of firearms a powerful approach in combating," Wu said.  

Ministry figures show that of the 4,548 police officers killed or injured in the line of duty 43 per cent were attempting to apprehend suspects. But Wu stressed that the Chinese police force have strict rules on gun use.

According to China's regulations on police of firearms which were issued in 1996 officers are permitted to use guns in 15 different circumstances. These include such circumstances as riots, prison breaks, kidnapping, resisting arrest with weapons and other situations which seriously threaten the lives of the public. 

Police officers are required to give warnings to criminals before firing unless there is no time for such an approach or if the warning may actually cause the potential for loss of life. .

The regulation also stipulates that police are not permitted to shoot pregnant women or children unless they are committing violent crimes with guns, explosives or virulent drugs. Nor can police use guns in areas where large crowds are gathered or near stored explosives or radioactive materials.

Wu said only police officers with public security bodies, State security departments, prisons, courts, procuratorates and customs officers on official duty could be equipped with weapons. And officers had to pass exams before being issued with a firearm.

However, there have already been disputes over whether the official support of legal gun use could lead to an abuse of power.

Wang Dawei, a professor with the Chinese People's Public Security University, said the police should be cautious and avoid gun use if at all possible. "Police officers should shoot only when it is absolutely necessary," he said. "It's a last resort -- guns kill."

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2006)