The Chinese police will intensify its crackdown on "hostile forces and evil cults" in the run-up to the 17th national congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), police chief Zhou Yongkang has said.

"All police should strengthen information collecting work to closely monitor and strike hard on overseas and domestic hostile forces, ethnic splittists, religious extremists, violent terrorists and the Falun Gong cult so as to safeguard national security and social stability," Zhou, minister of public security, told a police meeting.

He warned "the country was going through a period of outstanding disputes among the people, increased crime rates and complex struggles against hostile forces".

Many uncertainties remain, Zhou said, adding that it was "an arduous task to maintain social harmony" although he acknowledged that the overall social and economic development situation was largely favorable.

Zhou asked the police to uncover, report and handle disputes swiftly, try to resolve disputes at grassroots level when they still remain at a budding stage, and properly deal with mass incidents.

"Efforts should also be made to strengthen guidance of the development of the Internet in order to create a harmonious online environment," he said.

The police must ensure a sound social order to "further boost people's confidence in public security" and strengthen crackdowns on criminal gangs, homicide, illegal possession of guns, robbery, thefts and economic crimes.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2007)