Chinese President Hu Jintao underscores the core role to be played by the Communist Party of China (CPC) committee in the course of the development of armed police Wednesday at a conference of the armed police's party committee.
  
Hu said he would require the armed police to turn itself into a "powerful and civilized force" by going on holding high the banner of Deng Xiaoping Theory and "the important thought of the Three Represents" in line with the requirement that "the party is built to serve the interests of the people and state power is exercised for the people."
  
"The armed police is a vital component part of China's armed forces and has shouldered its responsibility in safeguarding national security, maintaining social stability and promoting the socialist modernization drive," he said.
  
He urged China's armed police to contribute tremendously in building "a well-off society in an all-round way."
  
In recent years, he acknowledged, "the armed police have accomplished various missions, especially rescuing people and property in disasters and dealing with emergencies.
  
"In the complex and volatile international situation, China is at the critical phase of reform and development, facing both opportunities and challenges," he said. 
 
"It is a heavy task to guarantee national security and social stability," Hu said. He noted he hoped that the armed police would "accomplish their obligations endowed by the Party and the people by adapting to the new situation."
  
Moreover, Hu said the armed police should be governed strictly in accordance with law and demanded the armed police speed up informationization and its own reform, aiming to upgrade its performance in a comprehensive manner.
  
Hu Jintao is also the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2005)