China President Hu Jintao on Friday called on the country's customs officers to continue their crackdown on smuggling and improve their services.

The president issued the call during a meeting here with a group of high-level customs officers and model customs officers.

Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)Central Committee, urged customs departments across the country to keep up their efforts to exercise their administrative powers according to law, to "keep the gates of the nation", contribute to the country's economic development, and work hard to realize the tariff collection target set for 2003.

The Chinese leader said a large-scale anti-smuggling campaign has contributed to improved normal trade order and increased tariff revenues in the past several consecutive years.

The country's customs departments are politically and professionally competent and trustworthy, Hu said.

At a separate event, Premier Wen Jiabao awarded stripes to 277 senior customs officers, including General Customs Commissioner Mou Xinsheng, six deputy general customs commissioners, and 270 first-class and second-class customs commissioners.

China's General Administration of Customs has for the first time adopted a military-like ranking system since the founding of the People's Republic in 1949.

The premier said the new system would help strengthen direct control over customs by the central government, enabling customs to exercise their functions of supervision and administration in accordance with law, and build a disciplined customs force.

 (Xinhua News Agency  September 13, 2003)