Armed police from the Snow Leopard Commando Unit undergoing intensive training in a hilly area under the blazing sun interrupted by a rainstorm. Photo: China News Service

 Artificial intelligent (AI), 5G, facial recognition… Chinese police across the country are accelerating the application of latest technologies during their preparations for the upcoming 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls on October 1.

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi on Saturday called for enhanced measures to prevent risks, safeguard social security and stability to create a safe and stable social and political environment for the upcoming 70th anniversary. He made the remarks during a three-day visit to Northeast China's Liaoning Province. 

Zhao said that Chinese police should stick to reform and applying technologies to strengthen themselves as well as to lift their efficiency and capacity in public security work. 

To get well prepared for the 70th anniversary, police departments in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province, have already held 1,200 training courses and 45 projects aiming to improve local police officers' actual combat capacity. These courses also covered police etiquette and English, local media reported.  

A local police officer from Dongtai county, East China's Jiangsu Province, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times on Sunday that they have bought drones and will use them to monitor the streets on busy days. 

Police officers from Suzhou, also in Jiangsu, confirmed that they had introduced facial recognition products and increased the number of surveillance cameras in the city to crack down on crimes and safeguard social security. 

As more places have joined the campaign to promote smart policing in local public security work, analysts believe that increased application of high-tech products, which provides faster communication and data search, can help reduce crimes and enhance law enforcement. 

"I used to see thieves wandering around looking for targets in the market, but they are rare nowadays thanks to the installation of surveillance cameras," a vendor surnamed Jin, who has sold mobile phone accessories for eight years in Huaqiangbei, an electronics market in Shenzhen in South China's Guangdong Province, was quoted as saying by local news site gd.ifeng.com on May 20. 

Police authorities at Huaqiangbei, which is dubbed "the No.1 electronics market in China," have introduced smart lamps equipped with surveillance cameras, Wi-Fi and alarm buttons, to deal with thieves. They vowed to further digitalize their police affairs this year to prepare for the upcoming 70th anniversary.  

Shenzhen has become a pioneer in applying 5G technology to the construction of police stations after the city was reported in late April to have built the country's first 5G police station, featuring cutting-edge technologies, which enabled real-time ultra-high definition image transmission, facial recognition, police drone patrols and augmented reality smart glasses.